A Foreign Country
by clueless in seattle
Summary: Goren and Eames go back to school to investigate the deaths of two teenagers. Fifth in the series began with "A Wide Open Country".
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer:**____All of the characters are the property of Dick Wolf. I thank him, the writers, the directors and all the great actors who brought them "to life" for our benefit. Any "liberties" I have taken with them is motivated only by my fond admiration. _

_**AN:**__ This story is not set entirely within the accepted "canon" or strictly within the "storyline" for the characters as it is only officially portrayed by the TV series. _

_**This the fifth and probably the final part of the series that began with **_**"A Wide Open Country"**_** …so if y'all want to know how Bobby and Alex got to this point and why…you have a lot of reading to do…**_

_**A FOREIGN COUNTRY**_

**Friday 12****th**** June**

_**Office Of The Captain, Major Case Squad, 1PP**_

Captain Danny Ross managed to stop his mouth forming a grin.

Just.

It was not often something he said left Detective Robert Goren speechless. More often he would respond with a _"but"_ or a _"what if"_. That was the trouble with the ones who were really clever. As opposed to just _"smart"_. Ross said nothing. Just enjoyed the confusion of one of his best officers as that large frame twisted and twitched in his seat. Goren's mouth even opened and closed silently a couple of times. Before Ross decided to put him out of his discomfort.

Just a little.

"The correct response Bobby is something like _I'm honoured or surprised to be asked_"

Goren glanced up. "I...um...I guess...well I know I am...just...er...when do you want an answer sir?"

"This time next week" Ross made a conscious effort to make his tone more kindly. "I realise your head is somewhere else right now Bobby...with the baby due in a few days and I'm sure you want to talk it over with Caro...but...but if you want my opinion on this occasion, I think this could be very good for you for all sorts of reasons. Personal and professional"

There was a pause as Goren gazed out the window towards the top of the Brooklyn Bridge "Yes....yes I see what you mean"

Then the look was back at Ross' face "But what about Faith...if I go?"

Since Alex Eames had been promoted and transferred, the Captain had partnered Goren with Faith Dempsey. More or less a rookie when she came to _Major Case_, it had turned out to be an ideal partnership. She was smart enough to keep up with the speed and complexity of the way Bobby's mind worked and she had the guts to rein in him a little at times. Not that he was as dangerously erratic as he had been when Ross took over from Jim Deakins. Perhaps the stability in Goren's personal life had something to do with that. Without dimming his commitment to the job and it had to be said, sheer brilliance at times. Brilliance that some partners would find it hard to work alongside.

"Not an issue" shrugged Ross. "Soon as you leave, Faith will come in here for me to tell her I'm approving her request to transfer to SVU. I agree with what you said to me about it being the right time for her. I might even forgive you for it eventually"

This time it was Goren smothered a little grin, knowing it was his former partner who was behind the _"defection"_ of his current one. "And Alex?"

"Never" growled the Captain "And thanks Bobby. For what you've taught Faith and what she's learned from you. Perhaps the Commandant of the Academy hasn't had a brainstorm asking for you after all?"

_**Major Case Squad Room**_

An hour later Goren and Faith Dempsey were passing various files to and fro across their desks and she was trying hard to not seem too pleased at the news Ross had given her. It was not that she wanted to get away from him or _Major Case_. Even if Bobby had wondered about the former when she first raised it with him a couple of weeks ago. She still wasn't always sure whether some of the emotions he conveyed were genuine or _"put on"._ In that instance _"hurt concern"_ as they sat in a quiet corner of _Roark's _with a pitcher of beer between them. It had taken her a few moments to realise Bobby was just teasing her. Wasn't really afraid it was _"something he did"_ and ended up giving her good reasons why she should consider the slot at _SVU (Manhattan)_, re-assuring her she was ready and promising to support her.

"You are only going on vacation for a couple of weeks Dempsey" he muttered, juggling a file full of loose papers she never kept as neat as he might like.

"I know that. I also want to be out of here when the shift ends. Did you finish the DR3 on the Cavendish case Goren?"

"One of us had to" he shrugged. "Though it's you needs the practice Detective"

A pink tongue shot out in his direction. It could have been worse. She might have kicked him.

"I hear congratulations are in order Detective Dempsey" said Mike Logan's voice as he returned to his desk nearby. "You finally figured a way of escaping from Bobby"

"Don't speak too soon Logan" said Ross as he stepped over. "I just had Megan on the phone from Albany. The Rancoli trial is going to run over into next week. One of the defendants went down with food poisoning"

"So?" shrugged Logan.

"So I can't keep you on admin duty next week with the numbers of people on vacation and Goren will be without a partner"

Goren and Logan took a long look at each other and then back at Ross.

"No. You can't do this to me Captain" pleaded Logan.

"I love you too Mike" murmured Goren.

Danny Ross pulled on his already loose tie "Believe me Mike, this is my worst nightmare come true. But the two of you had better consider yourselves on deck and that includes this weekend. Just make sure you clear lines with each other on the important issues before you leave tonight"

With that he was back in his office where the air-con always seemed to be more effective. _Or maybe Ross brought his own chill to the space at times?_

"Black, two sugars" said Logan eventually.

"Onions, no mustard" nodded Goren.

Faith Dempsey giggled. "Guess that's the important issues dealt with"

Logan held out his hand. "Almost. Give me the keys to your new _Equinox_"

She reached for them then paused. "What's wrong with your _Mercury_?"

"Nothing" grinned Logan. "But I always wanted one of those cool SUVs"

"It's not his worst nightmare by the way" added Goren. "That's the _Yanks_ trading Jeter to the _Mets_"

_**SVU (Manhattan)**_

The old 16th Precinct building had an architectural solidity to it and a quirky charm that _IPP_ lacked. What it did not have, Alex Eames was fast concluding late on a hot afternoon, was an air-con system worked even half as well as the one at HQ. Real wood, not cheap veneer and solid brick as opposed to stud walling had their limitations when your desk was the furthest from one of the outlets and it was eighty-five in the shade outside.

But as she picked out a bunch of expenses forms from her in-tray, Eames knew the desk had been her choice and for good reason. When the Chief of D's decided to create a Lieutenant's post at each of the five Units across the city to support their workload and growing remit, it was almost certain that the majority would go to _"outsiders"._ People not already part of a close knit team which got through working some of the most distressing cases it fell to cops to deal with. And with her promotion confirmed, she had not hesitated to accept the offer from Dick Nichols.

Her experience in _Vice _and then _Major Case_ made her an excellent professional choice and she already had good working relationships with many of the Manhattan squad. Their paths had crossed often enough and mostly with positive outcome. But Eames was an experienced cop from a family of cops and she knew the day she walked in and Captain Cragen said she could have her pick of any desk; it had to be a careful choice. Not to piss off the incumbents who would have to move and lose their spot closest to the coffee machine, the gun locker, an air–con outlet or whatever else made them _"choice locations"._ So she picked the only vacant one, of course had to be the worst in the room.

That was her first test passed and in the four months since she arrived she knew there had been others. Devising and developing a way of working with Don, who found a _"deputy"_ something of a disconcerting experience to begin with, was just one. Hardest of all had been resisting the urge to _"roll up her sleeves"_ too often on a case. Eames knew she struggled at times to stand back and play _"devil's advocate"._ To pose alternative theories to experienced detectives like Tutuola and Stabler who were probably on the right track. To offer that same objectivity she had often found infuriating working with Deakins and later Ross. Or to have to _"nit pick"_ as they saw it, at details to be certain everything would hold water in court.

A task she would not deny where Jack McCoy had sometimes been useful. Over dinner or half watching TV and one famous time, in bed. Though that was a once only thing took something of an argument and a night in the guest room to settle it would never happen again. And the _"make up"_ sex had been great.

One test Alex knew she had failed, though she had never really expected to pass it. And that was establishing a positive working relationship or re-forging her friendship with Liv Benson. Her one time friend had put in for transfer before the Lieutenant's post was even created. Thanks to issues in Olivia's past and life she found increasingly hard to separate from the job. Relationships between her and others in the squad were breaking down to the level where Cragen was about to ship her out. A situation not helped by her and Elliot Stabler having _"a thing"_ while he was separated from his wife. It was very messy and faced with the choice of letting her go or Elliot, Don had opted to keep Stabler.

All her attempts while she was still at _Major Case_ to advise or help Liv failed and because of Benson's dislike of Jack McCoy, their relationship merely became a further bone of contention and they drifted apart as friends. Eames had never really worked out why she hated the District Attorney for New York, Jack had no clues himself beyond a few professional disagreements in the past and the one thing Eames had wondered, he put her straight on. He and Benson never had a relationship out of work for there to be reason for the dislike.

But it made the month until Olivia got her transfer, to a precinct job in Queens, difficult for all sorts of reasons. One thing that had not got better since she went was Alex's dislike of the routine paperwork she had to share with the Captain. But she was determined to clear it all from her desk before she signed out to leave the weekend free.

"Have a good one Finn" she waved at Tutuola as he left and shook her head as he indicated tipping a glass.

Then muttered as her telephone rang. Still sounded strange to hear herself saying "Lieutenant Eames" as she picked it up.

"_Hi Alex. Danny"_

"Hello sir. Bad news for me I'm guessing"

"_For me. I've just signed Faith's transfer request form"_

"Great!" Alex breathed before quickly adding. "For us...um I realise for you...er...don't expect it will happen in a hurry"

"_Maybe sooner than you think Lieutenant. Between us?"_

"Of course"

"_Spoke to Goren...Bobby as well this afternoon. And not just about how the pair of you must have colluded to support Faith's request"_

Eames pulled a little face. It was true that before she said anything to anyone about Faith Dempsey for the slot in SVU she had spoken to Bobby. At his place one evening as they cleared the table while Jack helped a heavily pregnant Caro walk off a prolonged _"Braxton Hicks"_ contraction in the garden. It was polite, she trusted his judgement implicitly on whether Dempsey was ready for the work and she really didn't want Goren to feel he was being dumped on. Losing another partner so quickly and when he would soon be facing the biggest challenge of his life. Fatherhood.

"_Anyway"_ Ross went on. "_Fact is I've offered Bobby a year's secondment to the Academy. Commandant Wilson must be out of his mind but..."_

"Perfect for him" smiled Eames. "Think he'll take it?"

"_You tell me Alex. You know how that head works better than I ever will but whatever happens you get Dempsey and I get the personnel headache. Again"_

_**To be continued...**_

_**AN:**_ _Alex got her promotion and together with Jack McCoy in _"Encore For Adrasteia_". Other stuff happened too._


	2. Chapter 2

**Friday 12****th**** June**

_**St Luke's Place, Greenwich Village**_

Goren placed his jacket and folder on the kitchen counter and stepped through the doors onto the small terrace he had constructed with the help _(or was it hindrance?)_ of Lewis in the spring. His heart skipped a beat when he saw her. The pregnant love of his life, due in only five days, seeming to stumble about and in obvious discomfort. Holding the bulge of her belly she claimed was the size of _"a brick outhouse"_ and making painful noises.

He took a breath and mentally reminded himself what they said at the hospital two days ago. That Caro and the baby were doing great and that his or her head had engaged fully ready to be born. He'd read in that baby book she once threatened to throw away, only five percent of babies arrived on the predicted date. A few days either way right now should not be a problem if she was in labour. He swallowed rising panic and in an almost normal voice managed to say "_Caro?"_

Then, as she came around the table, his powers of observation came into play. Seeing that Caro seemed to be limping, not having a contraction and that she had the weight all on the toes of her left foot. A left foot that had two bright red nails.

"Heeyah" she moaned pressing her foot into the paving.

And on the table there was a small bottle of scarlet polish.

Goren knew he had the answer as Caro's toes wriggled and she lowered herself back into a chair. She had cramps. But just in her foot.

"Let me do that sweetie" he said squatting to take the foot and massage the toes which felt hard and rigid.

"Thanks Rob" she sighed.

As he rubbed Goren gave it some thought. Why a woman never painted her fingernails that sort of shade and never her toenails, would suddenly decide she wanted the latter the colour of a fire truck. Or, given the size of her, how she ever managed to reach them. Little wonder she got cramp. But then he had given up on logic explaining a lot of things since Caro got pregnant.

"Better?"

"Yes. Thanks"

As he stood up he gave her mouth a soft kiss and her belly a little stroke.

"I suppose it's pointless me asking Caro? Why, when only last week you claimed it was months since you saw your feet, you decided to paint your toenails?"

She gave him that smile always melted him and reached for the jug to pour him some iced tea.

"Uhuh. You can finish them later. Instead of checking that damn hospital bag for the fifty-fifth time"

"It pays to be prepared" he shrugged "And it's only fifty-three times up to now"

"What's the betting we end up going without it?" Caro said as he took a long swallow. "Now tell your bored, knocked up girlfriend how your day went"

Goren decided not to remind her she would be his bored, knocked up wife if it had been left to him to fix the day. He had done that once before in the middle of a squabble. It had just made her mad and then made her cry and he really could not bear that. He reached out for the hand she had promised he could put a ring on in the future and started with what happened in court that morning.

_**Vestry Street, Soho**_

Jack McCoy stopped the vehicle in its parking spot just as his cell phone began to ring. He grabbed it from the passenger seat with a quick glance at who it was.

"Hi Al" he said switching off the engine.

"_Um Jack...Elliot just brought a guy in who...never mind...but because of the time..."_

"Because of the time there's only you to ride shotgun on the interview which means you are gonna be late" he finished the sentence for her in one form or another he knew only too well.

Come to that, it was as often him making that call with some problem at the DA's office or the Mayor needing someone to give him some backbone. So getting mad or sounding hurt because he was on the receiving end this time, would achieve nothing.

"_Yeah"_

"Okay Al. I'll just hold dinner for another hour. Was only going to be something cold anyway"

"_So long as there's a beer with it"_

"Don't be too late then. Or I will have drunk them all" he growled. "See you later. Love you"

"_You too"_

McCoy got out of the Jeep _Wrangler_ he picked up a month ago, hefted a small grocery sack under one arm and headed for the elevator. Alex had teased him mercilessly about it. Claimed he wasn't so much entering his second childhood as his _"second puberty"_ to buy a car like that. Especially one in _Canary Yellow._ Perhaps there was an element of that in it? Especially after his brush with his own mortality last winter. And for someone who mocked, Al was pretty damn quick to grab the keys herself whenever they went anywhere together.

Inside the apartment he set down the sack and reached into the pocket of his jeans. Pulling out the small black velvet box and opening it. Unsure about how and when he was going to ask and more scared about what her answer might be.

"_**The Lite Byte", Pearl St, Manhattan**_

It was a corny name for an Internet Cafe but they had nothing like it in Gainsborough, Iowa. Apart from a general dealers, a drug store/diner and one bar, all of the other businesses on Main Street were geared to farming. The machine shop only sold gas as a sideline, dust from the feed and grain merchants blew out on the sidewalk and the nearest movie theatre was fifty miles away.

The young woman took a seat near the window and ordered a salad and chocolate shake. _No not skinny thank you ma'am_. The number and varieties of the way tea, coffee and anything with milk came in the City was still something of a mystery. To a girl grew up with only full fat and a choice of five flavours for a shake. They warned her. Her folks back on the farm. That New York would be overwhelming. They were right. But so far, thanks to her sound country sense and some helpful tips from the _Colombia Student Society_ it had not been the dangerous den of inequity her Dad had feared. Not for her, though she had seen and heard a fair amount of _"inequity"_ going on amongst her fellow students at the dorm.

But Colombia was Colombia and being both smart and hard working, she had managed to get a local bursary went a long way to helping her major in chemistry. And _"The Lite Byte",_ though filled with loud, young and rather intimidating locals, had one thing going for it. It had an excellent view of _Roark's_ across the street. She could never pass as 21 to order anything alcoholic in there. And word was it was _"a cop bar"._ Not something you had in Gainsborough either, when policing consisted of Deputy Sherriff Buddy Gibson driving through once a day and sometimes stopping for a soda or a burger.

As the salad and shake arrived she took from her purse a much creased photograph and set it on the table. One eye on her plate and the other on the comings and goings across the street. Smiling inwardly at the idea she was on some kind of _"stakeout"._

**Sunday 14****th**** June**

_**St Luke's Place, Greenwich Village**_

Caro lay on the lounger it had taken care to get onto and looking over the mountain of her belly at her feet. Convincing herself she did not need to go pee again so soon and admiring her ten red toes. Wondering why maternity clothes for this stage all seemed to come in small floral prints and still thinking Rob was no fun to not let her paint his toenails. Maybe she could forgive him for that as his suggestion about what they did next was far more satisfying. She was just wondering many weeks pregnant she was when her brain finally turned to mush, when she heard the paper rustle.

A few feet away he sat at the table pretending to read it. But Caro knew that far away look and almost imperceptible frown. That was him thinking and not about whether the yellowing back yard grass would survive this heat wave they seemed to be having. She gave herself a quick waft with a magazine deciding if (_and it was a big "if")_ they ever considered a second child she would make sure their timing was better. Wear Rob down to a puddle of sweat to conceive in summer and thus avoid being what her Mom called _"nine months and a minute_" this time of year again.

As he finally looked in her direction she felt hotter still. Damn the man for making her love him so much and to still want him as badly as she did that first brief and gentle time. _Though maybe part of that now was all that pelvic pressure the book told you about?_ In which case that was _his _baby and so _his _fault too.

"You ready for some lunch?" he asked.

"My breakfast didn't get down yet Rob" she said kindly, knowing he knew how cranky her digestion could be right now. "You go ahead though"

"Too hot anyway"

There was a pause pregnant in every sense as Caro knew he was working up to something. She decided to make it easier on him.

"So did you decide yet? About the Academy?"

"Not just about me is it?"

"It is really"

She waited as he got up, made for the lounger beside her and got his balance perched on one end.

"It's you has to do the work. Whatever you do"

"I just keep thinking about the baby Caro"

"Kind of hard to ignore"

She stroked her belly some instinct told her held his son, despite them not wanting to know for sure.

"Since all things are about equal financially it's...it's just practical. I'll have regular hours, be able to fit in better with her routine..."

"His" Caro said automatically and knowing Rob's instinct, if not his desire, was for a girl.

"Whichever"

"I knew what it could be like Rob. Before this happened I mean. Still said yes but at the same time I know you...know you will fret about missing bath time and feel you are not doing enough with the baby"

She reached out to stroke the downy hair on his arm. "But you have to do what is all round best for you. What's the good of you doing your share of diaper duty or us saving a few bucks on nursery when I go back to work, if you really hate it?"

"I doubt that" he replied in a not totally convincing tone. "Not once I get over the sheer terror"

Caro laughed softly. "I doubt your students will bite. Not hard. And if they do they won't try it a second time. Not if they have any brains"

He took her hand. "I love you"

"I know you do. And I love you...it's just..."

"Go on"

"The job is part of what made you how you are Rob, part of what you are. What I love. We both know a baby can threaten a relationship as much as make it stronger. Perhaps we've been lucky or worked hard enough at it so far but could switching jobs be..."

"Be one more change in my life I have to handle somehow? One too many?"

"Yes. Does that help?"

"Not at all" he laughed. "But then you knew that"

The sound of their phone cut him off.

Goren stood up. "This had better not be what I think it is"

Two minutes later he was back, slipping on his shirt, apologising and explaining a fireman had been found dead in Midtown.

Ten minutes later Caro could ignore the urge of her much pressured bladder no longer and wished she'd asked him to haul her up before he went.

_**Vestry Street, Soho**_

"Umpfph"

Jack McCoy loaded another heavy box into the back of the _Wrangler_. It always seemed to him that Eames family picnics required the same amount of provisions as an aircraft carrier due at sea for three months. Though since that one clanked with the sound of beer bottles, maybe he could forgive some of the excess.

"That's it" said Alex tossing a large canvas bag on the rear seat. "Let's go"

For once allowed to drive his own Jeep, McCoy got in the driver's seat and did not point out they should have left twenty minutes ago. "What's in that bag?"

"Swimsuit and towel. I packed yours too"

"It will be too cold in the lake to swim" he muttered backing out of the parking space.

"Coward"

Alex put on her shades as they headed up the ramp.

"It's okay for women. They like everything to shrink a little"

Eames sniggered "Your implant won't"

"Exactly Al. One third of my genitalia is temperature immune. The rest isn't. Everything looks...ends up lopsided...unbalanced"

"I think it looks cute"

"You shouldn't be looking"

"Then bath on your own in future"

He decided to let that go and instead wondered if he should have brought that ring after all. Gone ahead with the idea of _"finding it"_ during a romantic walk in the woods. But as they stopped at the lights and her cell began to ring, McCoy was fairly certain walks in woods, swims or anything else might well be off the agenda. In the city traffic and with the soft top down, he did not hear too much of the conversation as she ended the call.

"Where to Lieutenant?" he asked as neutrally as possible.

"Sorry Jack. Second and Fifty-First"

He bullied the Jeep across the lane to make the next right.

"It's a girl. Sixteen. Missing since yesterday"

"So why you Al?"

She could sense McCoy exerting the same kind of temper and frustration control she had to at times because of his job.

"She's the daughter of a diplomat at the UN"

"Oh I guess that makes all the difference then"

"Please Jack. I know we both agree on this kind of thing and it's not like you never..."

"Jump or ask how high when certain people are involved?" he yelled above the engine of a truck they were passing.

_**To be continued...**_

_**AN :**_ _If you want to know about McCoy's brush with mortality and the implant you'll need to read _"Death's Eternal Cold".


	3. Chapter 3

**Sunday 14****th**** June**

_**Rear of West 38**__**th**__** Street**_

Goren lifted his folder from the passenger seat and took from the glove box, the small _"emergency bag"_ he kept there for occasions he had to use his own vehicle at a crime scene. It contained gloves, tweezers, a spare penlight and other things he'd found useful over the years. With the narrow alley filled with official vehicles he walked around the corner, struggling a little to get his badge to fix to the pocket of a worn summer shirt and stuffing his car keys into the pocket of some jeans he switched into before leaving. Baggy, short pants did not give the impression of efficiency he didn't much feel anyway this morning.

He met Logan just around the corner. He was dressed like he'd come from the gym and looking as happy to be there.

"Want the body or the background Bobby?" he asked with a gesture.

"I'll take the body. If that's okay?"

Mike's answer was a shrug as he wandered off towards a uniformed sergeant seemed to be in charge.

As he approached the _Ford Taurus_ was the focus of attention, Goren knew full well why he preferred the body. Apart from the clues it offered, he had a tendency to become tetchy and frustrated with people like the ME or first witnesses did not know the answers to all the questions he wanted to ask.

The car's hood was just poking out from the yard of what appeared to be a baker's shop. Seeing the ME leaning over inside, he squeezed between it and the post of absent gates on the driver's side. The rear door window was almost obscured by high velocity blood spatter but Goren could just make out the body of a man slumped across the seat on his left side. Careful where he put his feet, he went around the back.

Doc Hathaway got out with the liver thermometer in his hand. The long probe glistening with blood and other body fluids.

"Call it sometime between six and twelve last night. Your COD is large calibre gunshot. Jimmy pulled a slug from the back of the seat. And I'm just guessing here Bobby but your vic probably had sex just before he was shot"

As he stood back, Goren leaned over. The dead man's shorts and pants were somewhere between his knees and his waist, the uniform shirt was open and one hip and butt cheek shone white against the dark blue upholstery of the rear seat. Most of the left side of his head was missing. The off-side rear window was smashed with small pieces of glass littering the foot well, seat and on the body. He stood back a moment, closed one eye and focussed on the hole in the seat. Stretching out one hand as if holding a gun to check the approximate angles.

"Uhuh. I'd even go so far as to say he was shot in the act of pulling up his pants"

"Maybe it wasn't good for her after all" winked Hathaway. "Now if you'll excuse me I have a couple of customers waiting at the morgue"

Goren leaned in and knowing the initial pictures were taken, fumbled around the victim. Checking his pockets for a wallet before getting in the front and opening the glove box. Noting it was not locked and the keys were in the ignition. He opened the wallet he found and quickly counted it had about sixty in notes and no obvious spaces where credit cards were stolen. A lick of his index finger confirmed a pale powdery substance was just dust and maybe talc, not drug residue.

"Okay if I search the trash cans Bobby?" asked an always cheerful Jimmy Antonelli from CSU.

"Sure and..."

"I know. A rubber is first on my list to try to find. And by the way your team just got one hundred percent uglier"

Goren assumed he was referring to Logan. Antonelli was a notorious flirt and to his mind, Alex and then Faith, had simply encouraged the man at times.

His new, male and apparently _"ugly"_ partner rolled around the corner of the yard as Goren got out of the car.

"Licence plate checks out to one Pete Allen" said Mike. "Address in Vinegar Hill, Brooklyn"

"Seems so" Goren dropped the wallet showing the driver's license into Logan's gloved hand as his colleague glanced inside the vehicle.

"One naughty fireman too by the looks"

Logan had drawn the same initial conclusion Goren had as he returned to the rear section of the Ford.

"According to the FDNY database Allen is part of Engine Company 21 out of East 40th. We're expecting someone from their personnel department..." Mike broke off as Antonelli called _"bingo"_ from almost inside one of the trash cans.

In one hand he held a small metallic blue packet and in the other, sagging slightly, was a condom. Obviously used quite recently.

"I love this job" Logan muttered ignoring the find and wondering what Goren was doing poking at one of the rear headrests.

He continued. "Shop belongs to a Mr Bloom...Jewish...so of course it was closed yesterday evening. He entered by the front door this morning so only found him about an hour ago when he came to put some flour sacks into the trash. Won't get anything useful from him and I got uniform doing an initial canvas. What's that Bobby?"

In his palm as he got out of the car was something small and red.

"Acrylic" said Goren of the long bright red fingernail he'd found wedged there. "Think it could belong to Mrs Allen?"

Mike looked at the pictures of the tired looking woman, two small kids and a baby in the wallet and shook his head.

"Save water, ride a fireman is my guess how it got there"

"I have no idea what you are talking about Logan" said Goren.

"Draw you a diagram if you like....that looks like the FD guy now. Let's go find out when Pete was last using his official hose shall we?"

"Is your supply of innuendo limitless?"

"Uhuh"

"Not the answer I hoped for" muttered Goren as he followed his new and hopefully, temporary, partner into the alley.

_**East Fifty First Street**_

As Eames went up the steps of the small brownstone her initial suspicions were confirmed. The large, blacked out SUV with a certain three letters of the registration were the first clue. The guy in the dark suit, shades wedged in the breast pocket and the wire of an earpiece dangling was just final proof when he opened the door before she knocked. _Spooks_ had been here first.

"Agent Kinson. DSS" he said as she stepped inside a small sitting room.

"Lieutenant Eames. SVU" Alex replied thinking she would stick to initials too.

And deciding the Diplomatic Security Service man rude the way he openly and disdainfully took in what she was wearing.

"Since you gave up on this or have someplace else to go I got called in on my day off" she muttered in explanation before she could stop herself.

It was not a _"diplomatic"_ start but Kinson ignored the remark.

"Residence of Mrs Patricia Whiteman" he gestured. "A British attaché to the UN. Education portfolio. Low level and not considered much of a target for Osama or anyone else. Called us in when Judith failed to return from a dance class at a place called _Lime Juice_ yesterday morning. That's on..."

"Hudson" said Eames as he reached for his notebook.

She had passed the place many times. More or less around the corner from where she and Jack lived.

"Yeah. Seems she signed in but the teacher said she never turned up to the class. Nothing hinkey seems to have happened there. No police or hospital reports fit Judy and no ransom demand received"

"Family rich?"

"Dad is. Bill Morley...she reverted to her maiden name...is well up the Limey's rich list. Lives there with the second wife and a couple of younger kids" Kinson grimaced. "If y'all listen carefully you can probably hear her end of the latest screaming match they've been having"

In the silence Eames certainly heard the words _"bastard"_ and _"slut"_ from somewhere across the hall. Those elongated vowel sounds of the British upper class certainly gave them more impact. And proved divorce was no more civilised the other side of the Atlantic.

"Rest of the household?" she enquired.

"Adam, fourteen, the brother. Can't miss him. He's the grunting Goth hangs round upstairs. And by the way Detective? We found nothing in her room to suggest she's run off taking any clothes with her. But we ran a check with the bank. She did take five hundred dollars from an ATM over on Central Park West at about noon yesterday. When she should have been returning home. So your guess..."

Kinson trailed off as indication that was about all they did and because there was a knock at the door. That left Eames to ponder the advantages and methods of being _"a spook"._ That DSS had was able to find that out so quickly and on the weekend.

"Live in housekeeper, Ruby Menendez or my guy will get it" he shrugged. "She's a legal by the way"

Eames wondered why checking the immigration status of the housekeeper would be high on their list of priorities before mentally conceding DSS likely did have a different take on things to them.

"Elliot" she nodded as Stabler stepped through the door, giving her that same look Kinson had.

_What was it with men and the clothes you were wearing?_

She ignored her colleague and sensed Kinson and his buddy were itching to be away.

"What do we know about boyfriends, school and the like?"

"Goes to that Hudson Academy on Lexington? Lot of the UN brats do. As to boyfriends? Mom or should I say Mummy says not. Probably means Judy is banging the whole football squad but we'll leave that to your expertise"

Kinson paused a moment. "And by the way? She'll deny it but Mrs Whiteman is almost certainly doing the dirty with the Deputy Swiss Ambassador, Louis Chantelle. Something Madame Chantelle will be unaware of"

Eames smiled wryly. "And Mrs Whiteman does not know you know this. Something you or one of your other spook friends discovered during covert surveillance"

"Occasional security evaluation is the name we give it Lieutenant" Kinson laughed and winked. "Now I'll give you a moment to brief your colleague and then see if Mrs Whiteman has quit yelling to introduce you"

When the door closed Eames glanced at Stabler and resisted the temptation to ask him if he borrowed those clothes from his father they were so dated. Instead she quickly told him what little she knew. Elliot had his faults but he knew his job and they determined a plan of action easily. She'd tackle Mom while he spoke to Adam and they would do a thorough search of Judy's room together.

As they stepped into the hall, Alex glanced at a large case clock.

"Might see what else we can pick up at the dance studio too Elliot"

"Sure"

Eames knew her chances of making it to the family picnic would be more or less blown. With luck she could make it home in time to make it up to Jack.

_**To be continued...**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Monday 15****th**** June**

_**Visiting Officer's Room, Major Case Squad**_

Quentin, the FDNY personnel officer, had arranged for the others on Pete Allen's watch which ended at six pm on Saturday, to come down to 1PP. So far they were all telling the same story, some of which was true. Neither Goren nor Logan doubted their word most of them went for a quick drink after clocking off and that Allen left the bar along the street from the station house at about 7pm. And that there was nothing _"shady"_ in the criminal sense about his life. His file said he was a good fire officer, with excellent timekeeping, no disciplinary write ups and nothing to suggest he had dubious habits like gambling or associations that might want to see him dead.

It was on the matter of his private life both of them were agreed they were getting a crock from at least two of his buddies knew better. That the _"good family man"_ they all spoke of was _"over the side"_ with some woman or other. Maybe a _"crazy one off"_ with a hooker was all Larson and Estevez would concede. And they only did that when confronted with the pictures of how Pete Allen was found.

The door closed behind Larson and they knew they would have a wait before the Deputy Station Officer arrived. So Logan opened an initial CSU report a civilian clerk had dropped on the table earlier.

"Ballistics" said Mike scanning it quickly. "Slug was a three-fifty-seven with no match to any on record"

"What about that piece of fabric?" asked Goren as he filled two paper cups from the water cooler.

Logan had found a chunk of denim amongst other debris further along the alley when they had joined in the _"fan"_ for other physical evidence whilst waiting to sign the body over to the morgue. It looked like it might have been cut from the legs of some jeans but more significant were some glass fragments, blood staining and more confusing, what appeared to be two sets. When the cloth was spread out, it showed _"a pool"_ probably from gravitational flow. The other, fresher looking blood consisted of specks centred on a large, scorched hole, which they both speculated could have been from using the cloth as a crude silencer. It would explain why no-one living locally admitted to hearing a gunshot and the blood flecks could have been _"blow back"_ when Allen's head more or less exploded.

"Positive for GSR and two different blood groups. A neg which we know Allen was and O pos" replied Logan. "And listen to this Bobby. Tests on the fabric show the O was very recent too. Someone may have bled onto that denim only an hour or two before Allen's blood got on it. Assuming it is Allen's blood"

Goren sat down. "Puts a different perspective on things doesn't it? We agreed robbery was probably not the motive. Wonder if Allen was an accidental witness to some other crime in that alley? Shot to be sure he could say nothing"

"Could be" Logan took a sip of water and turned the page. "Ah yes and it was fish scales also stuck to that rag. Specifically...why can't Jimmy use plain English..._Mullus Barbatus_"

"Mullet" said Goren automatically. "Red I think...mullet anyway"

Logan chuckled "You should go on _Jeopardy _Bobby. And for your next question? Where is mullet native to?"

"Mediterranean. Least that's where I had it" he shrugged.

"Correct. And apparently the Eastern North Atlantic but that tells us what?"

"Specialist supplier? Though I don't really want to hike round every fish shop and market in town"

_**SVU Manhattan**_

"I tell you Alex it does not make for very pleasant reading at times" sighed Stabler putting down the pink notebook.

They had turned that up when they lifted the mattress in Judy Morley's room. Proof two cops knew much more about the behaviour of a teenage girl than DSS ever would or need to. But they were agreed on their initial finding, with the help of Mrs Whiteman and the housekeeper, that none of Judy's clothes were gone. If she had run off she did it with only what was in the one missing back pack. The one she left home with assumed to contain only dance clothes and things for the shower room.

Elliot leaned back in his chair. "No question Judy was unhappy at home. The constant long distance fights between the folks...she even refers to the second wife as _the whore_ like her Mom did. Then there's Adam who seems to get a lot of what little time the Mom has. Judy resented that"

"I got the impression Mom was desperate to get him labelled as dyslexic or ADHD or anything to explain his poor grades and behaviour" said Eames.

"Easier than admitting a bit more love and attention and a bit less parental war might be the answer" said Stabler, somewhat from the heart after his own recent and turbulent family life.

"Who else featured?"

"Nearly everyone is referred to by nicknames or initials so I expect _WS _she gave a _BJ _to at some party will turn out to be a boy from school"

Eames took a sip of water. "I called them to expect us and asked for the grade list. And you don't need to tell me what _BJ _stands for"

"Good" smiled Elliot. "And Judy knew about the Swiss guy. Writes about her Mom's hypocrisy over her Dad's affair when she's heard her f...having sex with LC"

"Not sure I see him as an urgent lead Elliot. Even if we could fight our way through diplomatic immunity and Swiss neutrality"

"Me neither. I'm still of the opinion the brother knows more than he's saying"

"Like his sister's sex life the Mom obviously knows nothing about?"

"Maybe" Stabler mused. "It's hard to be sure when the kid was prowling the room and not making eye contact most of the time. But I sensed he twitched the most when I raised the issue of drugs"

"Using himself?"

"No strange smell in the room and one point he even said I was welcome to search it if it would help find his sister"

"Why not? Had plenty of time to hide any stash by the time we..." Eames broke off to say _"thanks"_ to Finn went by leaving an envelope on her desk.

"Want to push him?" she asked as she opened it.

"Not yet Alex. Underneath the black clothes, the satanic symbols and his sister's eyeliner, Adam seems more of a rebel without a clue. Could be wrong of course"

Eames put the contents on the desk. "Names and addresses of everyone took a Saturday morning class at _Lime Juice. _And a full list of the staff. I'll ask Finn and John to start checking those out"

"Now that was impressive" said Elliot picking it up. "How you made the owner roll over on that one. Never knew you could be so fierce"

Eames leaned over as she stood up to take a call Munch was indicating was for her "Just as well you found that out early then Detective Stabler"

"Yes ma'am"

He saluted her back, took the list of the classes and opened the diary. Since it had dates he could cross check to see who at the dance studio might have featured in Judy's rather sad chronicle of her life.

A life, though neither had said it yet, both suspected could be over.

_**Office Of The Captain, Major Case**_

"So what have you got?" asked Ross.

Goren glanced at Logan knowing the temptation for both of them was to say "_A lot more if you'd stop asking dumb questions and let us go get on with the job"_

He went first. "Prints on the condom wrapper check out to Pete Allen and a young hooker called Candy. Has a string going back to when she was fifteen. Vice are trying to run us down a last known for her. But there's nothing on her sheet to say she was ever suspected never mind convicted, of rolling clients. Nothing relating to firearms or any other violence. Except when she was the victim a couple of times"

The Captain looked over at Logan.

"And that ties in with what the last of his buddy's said. That he had been seeing a girl they met in a bar one night"

"Thought they were all playing dumb on that angle?" frowned Ross

"They were until we got the DNA showed it was Allen made the deposit in the rubber" added Logan. "Faced with that and the threat of prosecution for hindering he...um.. remembered a lot more"

Danny Ross frowned even more. "Last I heard we were still waiting on the lab"

He saw that glance again between the two detectives.

"I fibbed" Goren murmured.

"And I threatened" confessed Mike.

As they left the room they were sure they heard Ross sigh _"nightmare"._

_**King Street/Sixth Avenue**_

Eames and Stabler stood grim and silent as a combination of the ME's technicians and CSU lifted the body of a young woman from the dumpster of a flower shop. The pale pink jeans and white shirt were a match to Mrs Whiteman's description of what her daughter left the house wearing two days ago. Sheer luck the body had not ended up in the garbage truck and the medic was estimating time of death as Saturday/Sunday at this early stage.

Cause was fairly obvious. The front of the shirt was covered in a large red stain from a gunshot wound. Now they were left with the task of telling the family and somehow finding the answer for them.

As Stabler went to speak to the mortuary staff Eames answered her cell phone. It was Munch. To confirm the bank had delivered its tapes from the ATM machine and a superficial check confirmed it was a girl in the right clothing and with a pony tail, who withdrew the money from her account just before midday Saturday. Was alone and did not seem especially anxious or under duress. That seemed to rule out one possibility for what might have happened. But it made what they knew of Judy's movements even more strange. Withdrawing cash way back up town after coming downtown and then ending up just a couple of blocks from the _Lime Juice Dance Studio_.

"They'll see if they can get Liz Rogers to put a rush on this one boss" said Stabler.

Eames did not even notice that was the first time he had ever afforded her that title.

"That sad irony of all this Elliot is just that. Now Judy is dead we'll get more help to canvas this area and extend the one across at Hudson" she said quietly.

Anything else she had to say was cut off once again by her phone; more and more seemed to be glued to her ear. It never felt to Eames like she was "_doing the job"_ as she took the call.

"Search the other dumpsters and a five block radius for the backpack" Stabler instructed a group of technicians and cops standing around not doing very much.

_**To be continued...**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Monday 15****th**** June**

_**West 120**__**th**__** Street**_

The delay in them getting to Candy Packer's last known address was down to matters both Logan and Goren had to deal with in relation to other cases. Mike had driven more or less in silence because Bobby was reading over some material due to go to the _Grand Jury_ the next day. And when it was Ron Carver going to be there he liked to know _"i's"_ were given a final check and _"t's"_ a double crossing.

Logan returned to the _Equinox_. "Candy has gone shopping. Should be back soon"

"Gone shopping for a fix no doubt" said Goren loosening his tie a little and checking the clock on the dash.

"We'll give it fifteen Bobby and then go looking round some of her other haunts?"

"Sure. Anything on our witness theory?"

Logan lifted his shades and pulled his notebook from the dash. "Checked a fifteen block radius for all reports Saturday evening. Nothing involving a gun or shots. No big robberies. Nothing serious enough for anyone to shoot Allen for something he might have witnessed in that alley. There was a large brawl broke out in a bar ten blocks away. Baseball fans but they seemed to disperse once the patrol cars arrived"

"Doesn't sound very..."Goren glanced the other side of the road. "That's her"

"It is. You go high" muttered Logan as they both got out the car heading different ways to make sure Candy did not elude them.

Like many in her profession she sensed _"cop"_ in Logan soon as she saw a white man in a tie heading towards her. But turning around she ran literally into Goren's arms and he more or less scooped her into an adjacent alleyway.

"I suppose y'all want cop dishcount?"

Her voice had the giveaway narcotic slur to it as she snatched at his belt. Goren backed off which gave Logan a laugh as he rounded the corner to see him retreating from a girl must only top sixty inches and weigh eighty pounds.

"Sheet" she said "I ain't doing the both of you for nuthin"

"You ain't doing nuthin to neither of us no how or any which way" Goren informed her.

Logan leaned on the wall with one hand. "Just need to use your mouth for stuff coming out this time Candy. And that will be words and preferably the truth"

Confronted with that or the option of a bust for the rock Goren found in her purse, Candy talked. Telling in great detail about everything that went up and down with Pete Allen on Saturday night. What she said they got from a burger stand before they _"did business"_ tallied with his stomach contents the ME found and though she must have left him only minutes before he was shot, they believed her when she said she saw and heard nothing unusual.

Candy even volunteered the facts she disposed of the rubber and that she lost a false nail in course of their interaction. Not something they felt she would do had there been some sort of struggle or argument between them. And his body had no scratches or bruises to indicate anything like that. She even told them the time and place of her next _"appointment"_ they could check out. Or somehow track down the cab she took to get there.

As she tottered away under dire threat from Logan if they discovered she lied, he turned to Goren.

"Makes it look more and more like Allen found himself in the middle of something he really did not expect to happen"

"And it's not like they always used the same place each time for someone to be laying in wait for him"

"This one is going to go no-where fast Bobby"

Goren slid his shades back down as they stepped onto the street.

_**The Mortuary, Bellevue Hospital, First Avenue**_

True to her word Doctor Rogers had pushed the post mortem on Judy Morley up the schedule, partly on the grounds of the original estimate of time of death she explained to Eames as she finished washing up and signing some routine forms.

"You want the whys and hows or just the facts Alex?" she asked.

"It's me Liz" she managed a weak smile. "Not Bobby with his insatiable thirst for side bar knowledge"

"Okay then. Your TOD I'm pushing back to early Saturday evening and I've sent over a slug, a big one, I dug out of her liver. Thirty-eight or maybe a three-fifty seven. Pretty good condition so ballistics might help you. I'm running a tox screen but there were no outward signs of her shooting up. Now sexual activity is another matter"

"Hell" muttered Eames who really expected something like this.

"Yeah well you've got mild vaginal abrasions consistent with consensual and apart from one set of bruising nothing to indicate she was beaten or restrained with binding. But the clothes were dirty, greasy even and it will be down to trace to tell you what"

Liz flicked back the sheet to reveal Judy's shoulders.

Eames looked at four small round bruises near the left collarbone and an identical set on the right.

"Fingertips" she said quietly. "She was grabbed and held hard from behind"

"Which might relate to the anal penetration. Based on that and tearing, though that can happen with willing and careful partners, I'm more inclined to say some guy held her down against her will. Don't suppose you know anything about what she got up to?"

"Judy was no virgin for sure but there's nothing in the diary to hint she liked that. Unless it's in initials or some slang she used we didn't catch onto. I'll go back and check again"

"No STDs or a pregnancy but something else. You've either got two guys or one who switched brands when he switched around" Rogers passed her some notes. "Two different compositions to the lubricant. One with spermicidal ingredient, one without"

Eames pulled the sheet back over the pale face.

"And one other thing Alex" said Rogers. "The lividity pattern is very confused. Her body was also in two or possibly three different positions after death. Someone was moving her around. Perhaps looking for a place to dump the body?"

"This young lady went on quite a journey on Saturday" said Eames.

"Just a one way ticket now" said Rogers as she signalled her assistant to wheel the trolley away to the coolers.

_**SVU**_

Eames had returned to her desk and was about to begin checking pages Elliot had flagged in Judy's diary, when he returned to the office. He had been following a lead the canvas had thrown up and notoriously disliking the morgue when it involved kids, Alex had sent him with some of the formal paperwork to the family home.

He looked as tired and drawn as she felt but she spared him the details from Liz. For now.

Stabler sat down with a can of soda, his tie off and his shirt clinging a little in the heat.

"Looks more and more like she went to meet someone Saturday morning Alex"

"Ties in with this _BC _we know she was seeing. A couple of times that was a Saturday morning"

Stabler grunted. Reading between the lines of what Judy wrote he was fairly certain _BC _was an older man. Not a High School student. His disapproval and rightly so because when she wrote graphically about losing her virginity nine months ago, it was with this _BC _character.

"What did this guy works at the coffee shop on _King_ have to say?"

"First of all the ID was very positive because he is sure Judy and some of her buddies have called there after class. Heard them talking about it and then get one or two cabs to leave. Saw her a little before ten which would tie in with her signing in at the studio just after nine-thirty and more or less walking straight out. Time for her to walk across to Sixth. He says she went by the coffee shop then crossed over at the corner. And waited looking at the northbound traffic. He assumed at first it was to make it easier for her to get a passing cab. But he is sure that maybe half a dozen went by and she made no attempt to flag one down. After that he was waiting his tables inside so never saw how she left that spot. Could have been on foot"

"I doubt a girl could have been forced kicking and screaming into a vehicle against her will with people sat at the sidewalk tables. We have to assume she either took a cab or..."

"Or was looking for someone to pick her up in a vehicle she knew" finished Elliot.

"Not this _BC _character?"

"Never a hint he had a vehicle. And she certainly wrote of sexual activity in cars with other individuals"

Elliot tapped his fingers on the desk in an anxious gesture "And what did Doc Rogers have to say boss?"

Alex told him the grisly details. The sort of thing working SVU you would think Elliot got used to by now. The fact it still affected him enough to make him determined without developing the kind of obsession Liv appeared to, was probably a good thing. There was a fine line between becoming inured and almost indifferent to caring in a way which was healthy. Eames just hoped as the months and maybe years went on, she could achieve the balance she knew Elliot Stabler fought hard to maintain.

_**St Luke's Place, Greenwich**_

Caro woke from a light doze was all she seemed to manage a lot of the time these days. The bulge of the baby partly supported by Rob's right hip, she was still uncomfortable and immediately conscious he was awake.

"We making you too hot?" she asked quietly.

"No"

"So what's bothering you?"

He scratched his head with his left hand. "Nothing...something...everything. Keeps changing"

She smiled. If she was wearing her professional hat Caro would say acknowledging he had mild concerns was good progress for Rob to be making. Once upon a time it was a question she would never ask knowing he'd deny it and close down even more.

"Hold onto your hat then. Beached whale about to turn over"

It really was difficult with your centre of gravity all changed and a heavy beach ball to deal with. She lodged it against the pillow served as a prop the other side. Then felt him pressed lightly against her back and ass. His hand snuggling between the beach ball and the two balloons were once breasts. And typical of a man. He was asleep before her in the end.

_**Vestry Street, Soho**_

Unable to sleep, Alex snuck quietly out of bed, left McCoy snoring and went across the hall to the room he used as an office. She'd spent a chunk of the evening in there reading Judy Morley's notebook. It wasn't that she did not trust Elliot to list the characters they needed to try to identify and speak to. They were fairly certain who some of them were. The classmates her Mom had listed as close friends and who she called trying to find her daughter Saturday afternoon.

Eames was not even sure that would provide the lead to what sent Judy on the journey led to her death. But she felt she needed to get to know her more, try to get inside her head a little and while it felt like a long time ago now, she had one advantage Stabler did not. She was once a teenage girl herself. So perhaps she saw more than he had that between her irritations with her kid brother, Judy was genuinely fond of Adam, worried about him. And perhaps _"the latest shit Adie got himself into"_ was more than usual kind of scrape at school or clash with their mother.

It had been one of the last entries. Almost lost amid ramblings about some _"chick flick"_ she went to see. When her pen ran out Alex reached automatically for the top right drawer. Only to find it locked which was unique in her experience. She thought no more about why Jack did that as she found one in her purse.

_**To be continued...**_


	6. Chapter 6

**Tuesday 16****th**** June**

_**Hudson Academy, Lexington Avenue.**_

Eames watched the junior grade of the small, exclusive private school file into the room. Wondering briefly why the denizens of the Upper East and West sides so often chose schools with tartan plaid part of the uniform. In this example, the muted greens of skirts some of the girls seemed to be outgrowing and the ties of the boys. Miss Hale, the Principal, had hesitated yesterday to have a bunch of cops speak with her trust funded and well lawyered charges. Her mind got changed by a mixture of Judy Morley's status changing from _"missing"_ to _"murdered"_ and Don Cragen talking to someone on the City Council who was also on The Board of Governors.

They were all there. All those types she remembered from High School. The _"geeky"_ looking ones and the couple of _"jocks"_ with over-thick necks and blazers whose seams were protesting. The _"cool"_ guys with hands in pockets and ties tied as loose or wide as they thought they could get away with them. The plump and ginger girl who sat together. And the _"cheerleaders"_ in a pack with their highlighted hairstyles more appropriate to second graders, identical lip gloss and probably the same orthodontist. One in particular drew Eames' attention. She visually undressed Finn Tutuola as she went by him and then sat in a nearby seat leaving as much thigh as possible on display.

Her instruction to the four guys on the detail of eight she had with her to _"look casual"_ had more or less paid off. None of them were wearing guns of course, and all had shed jackets and ties, including John Munch who followed the last kid into the room. He had left SVU after the rest of them. Tied up completing checks on the last of the _Lime Juice_ employees. How many there had been something of an irritation until you realised few places like that had many full time staff. Administration and domestic staff mainly. The instructors, those who might come in closest contact with customers, were all part time, often doing only one specialist class for an hour a week. They frequently worked at several establishments, many did private work and not a few were professional and semi-professional dancers themselves. Meaning they came and went, dependent on the vagaries of Broadway, touring shows and their success at auditions. And being New York it meant many had origins and possibly records, in other states.

"They all came up clean Lieutenant" Munch said quietly. "For the type of offenses we were interested in. Including that guy Brian Carmichael quit six months ago"

"Where is he?" asked Eames.

"In a specialist clinic in California being treated for an AIDs related illness"

Eames dismissed that with a gesture, wondered whether those tattoos of Elliot's were really creating the impression she wanted and then turned to face _"the class"_ with a deep breath.

"Good morning" she began only to find herself surprised and cut off by a chorus of _"good morning"_ in return.

If they stayed so well drilled and polite this should be a cinch. Except she knew from Judy's diary there was a pretty heady stew of sex, drink and drugs boiling beneath the surface of these well heeled and fresh faced kids. No different to many other schools and a concern really only to parents and teachers until one of them died. Possibly as a result.

"You...um...you are all aware that, very sadly, we found Judith Morley dead yesterday. And just to dispel some rumours Miss Hale tells me are circulating, she was shot. Judy died late Saturday afternoon or early evening. I know some of you were telephoned that afternoon by her mother, when Judy first went missing but the officers...the colleagues...who came with me this morning need to speak with you all about a larger timeframe. We need to you to think back over recent months. About anything you saw that now seems strange, any conversation you had with Judy that she was worried about someone or something or anything different in her behaviour"

A hand shot up near the back.

"Excuse me ma'am"

"Yes?"

A good looking blond boy stood up. "I'm sure we'd all like to help but isn't this most likely a robbery gone wrong or some nut job?"

"It's true we did not find the things we think Judy had with her on Saturday. But the sad truth of the matter, despite the impression you get from the news, is most people, especially ones your age, are most likely to be harmed by someone you know. Someone you know even very casually. Who you met at a friend's party or who lives down the block"

"So you could suspect one of us?" he continued with a grin of bravado that provoked one or two nervous glances about.

Glances, Eames knew Stabler and the others in the room would be watching.

"And does that mean we should have a lawyer present?" the teenager continued.

"You are welcome to call your Daddy if you like" Eames shrugged casually before fixing him with a look. "That is what he does isn't it?"

"Uhuh" laughed a girl in the second row as others joined in with a few sniggers.

He sat down smartly.

Eames smiled. "And just so you all know. I know _MIRANDA _and not just the girl my brother dated in tenth grade"

The room relaxed again. Except for Tutuola who shifted along the sidewall with a scowl on his face. Behind and away from that minx doing her best to let him see down the front of her blouse.

"It may also surprise you to learn my colleagues and I were teenagers once. It didn't change much and despite what you might think, none of you invented or discovered for the first time some of the stuff you probably get up to. Some of the things Judy probably got up to. I'm saying this now to re-assure you anything you say to us will be treated in confidence at this stage. We don't shock easily and we are very busy. Too busy to be busting you for a few beers and a puff or two. We don't want gossip but I do need you to be frank. To help us catch whoever did this to Judy. Are we clear on that?"

There were sounds and nods of assent.

"Okay then. Because of that I realise some of you might be more comfortable speaking to an officer of the same gender. If that is so, will you make that clear to the Bursar when you arrive at the music practice rooms where you will be seen individually"

Finally, Eames read out the names of the nine students they wished to see first, dismissing the rest to class until sent for and ensuring each took a card on the way out. It had the number at SVU they had set aside for anyone who wanted to call in. They had been handed out via the school to every student. Six on the list included the closest friends Mrs Whiteman had named. Three were students who had the same initials as ones featured in significant ways in the dead girls diary. None of them had the initials _BC,_ they were still anxious to identify. But it turned out the nine included _"the minx"_ and the _"smart ass"_ Eames could see Elliot was itching to talk to.

_**Jay Street, Vinegar Hill, Brooklyn**_

Logan and Goren avoided a kid's bike in the entrance hallway and paused at the front of the apartment block. To remove jackets worn out of a formal respect and don shades before stepping onto the sidewalk that felt it was melting the soles of their shoes in just the few steps to the SUV.

It was the first time her doctor and her sister who was acting as her _"guardian"_ had deemed Mrs Maureen Allen fit enough to talk about the death of her husband. Her sister doing her best to disguise or remedy the chaos in the apartment. One that was hot, overflowing with kids things and looked like one lived in by a _"homemaker"_ overburdened for too long. With two pre-schoolers and a baby she was still nursing judging by the damp marks on her t shirt both detectives had studiously avoided looking at, she was, according to her sister, showing all the signs of post natal depression before _"Pete did this"._

It was clear she had learned via the FDNY network something of how he was found and drawn the obvious and correct conclusions. After expressing their condolence and questioning her gently about anything might have given someone motive to kill her husband, it had fallen to Goren to answer Mrs Allen's questions. He did that as delicately as he possibly could. Acutely and almost painfully conscious how Caro would react to getting that same news about him while she was still breast feeding and recovering from having their baby. Even without two other children in previous close succession.

But Maureen had helped him out, even if it was a distressing scene. Angry and sad and occasionally using obscenity she had _"known"_ she told them. Was almost certain Pete was _"getting it elsewhere"_ and being told it was a prostitute, was a mixed blessing. At least he would have been unlikely to leave her for a whore though now she supposed she had to worry how long in case he'd infected her. Mike distracted the clinging little girl with a toy. Happy to leave it to Bobby to explain why she probably did not need to worry and be told, Pete had not touched her since she was five months gone with the baby boy.

His needing fed got them out of it in every sense.

"That was unpleasant" Mike summarised for them both as he tossed his jacket in the rear.

Then got in, waiting for his more fastidious partner to put his on the hanger he insisted on dangling from the rear grab rail.

"Yeah" murmured Goren settling into the passenger seat and just making a brief note.

"Any bright ideas Mike? Because I'm fresh out"

Logan hooted a short laugh at that admission as he started the engine.

"None. And I doubt an argument with the bodega owner about the kid throwing a box of crackers was motive for murder"

"Could be with some bodega owners I've met"

Goren watched apartment blocks roll slowly by.

"So you gonna take the secondment to the Academy?" asked Logan suddenly.

"Might have known you would know about that" replied Goren coolly. "I suppose it's already on the rest room wall at _Roark's"_

"Not until I get there tonight with my thick black marker pen. Pool night? Remember? Though I guess you never came that often"

"No and in answer to your question? I don't know"

"Got plenty to think about right now Bobby. Rather you than me. How is Caro by the way?"

"The size of Texas according to her this morning. This heat doesn't help and these last few weeks are...um...notoriously...uncomfortable. Guess we are both a little anxious and impatient as well"

It crossed Goren's mind it was not like him to share very much about how he was feeling. And there were times through the last nine months he could have done with someone. A father figure. A man he felt comfortable with who might have offered advice and re-assurance. Someone other than his future father in law anyway. There was only his cousin Alan in Washington and it was not the same long distance and by phone. Maybe it was his own _"reserve"_ too. It meant he'd never opened up on the occasions Ross tried or a couple of times he spoke to or saw Jimmy Deakins.

"Only natural. So they say" Logan halted the SUV at lights and then said gently.

"And by the way? You and she will be fine. I can guess what was going through your head at times back there Bobby. You won't be over the side if things in the bedroom turn...or maybe they have...um...anyway it's not the same situation"

Goren wondered when Logan turned mind reader and when he could ever imagine himself drawing comfort from those few awkward words of encouragement. And from Mike Logan of all men.

_**Office Of The District Attorney**_

McCoy locked the small black box into his desk. It was obvious last night Al's head was anywhere except on _"them"_ and liable to be that way until SVU caught some sort of break or lead in this case. Leaving it around at home for her to find could ruin the surprise of a moment he still had not worked out how to engineer. You would think a man proposed twice before, well three times if you counted Susan Flannery in third grade, would have a better idea.

But however he went about that part, those two marriages had ended in the divorce courts along the street. His fault, if ably assisted one time by the former Mrs McCoy. A batting average would justify Al hesitating, saying _"no way"_ or even having second thoughts before the event. And a _"no"_ really would leave him stranded at second and no-where to go.

He set aside those thoughts as Ron Carver knocked and entered the room. Wanted to run some Grand Jury tactics by him. And little did Carver know it was his recent twentieth wedding anniversary party, had set McCoy's own mind thinking to his future. Or rather, and hopefully, _"theirs"._

_**To be continued...**_


	7. Chapter 7

**Tuesday 16****th**** June**

_**The Performing Arts Suite, Hudson Academy, Lexington Avenue**_

Aaron Rothstein was a slender, bespectacled Jewish kid with whom John Munch felt a natural affinity and not a little sympathy. And much of what he had said so far confirmed their impression of _"AR"_ from the diary and the boy Mrs Whiteman had described. He and the rest of the Rabbi's family lived on the same street. Aaron was the _"study buddy",_ the kind kid took Judy under his skinny wing when they first came to New York and much at school was a mystery to her daughter.

And you just needed to have been that age once yourself, to realise Aaron had something of an immature crush on Judy she did not reciprocate. Because girls just matured and became too sophisticated, too soon for some guys. He had asked to speak with a male officer and Munch knew he had to test out the kid's honesty and the veracity of the diary, by using something Judy wrote.

"So you and Judy never dated then?"

No...not really...I mean we went to movies together and a couple of other things like Summer Petersen's brunch...but with other people"

"As a group? Not a couple?"

"Uhuh"

"Do kids date these days? I mean go steady before they make out?"

"Some do" Aaron said quietly.

"And you and Judy? Did you ever...hook up...or whatever they call it?"

The kid's Adam's apple went up and down in his neck a couple of times before he almost whispered "Yes...yes...just once...and I feel...I took advantage"

Munch waited silently as he pulled out a handkerchief, genuinely upset by Judy's death and a sense of guilt the detective knew was not just one of hindsight.

"It was a party. At Will's place in March. Judy was wasted. Upset because Will was back with Summer. She...she suggested we did it and I...and I liked her and never had and..."

He went suddenly silent.

"You thought after that maybe things would be different?" Munch sympathised. "That you would be a couple? Instead you were back to being the guy would help her out with algebra. Just a friend. And it meant nothing to her"

He watched the Rothstein boy resist the urge to ask if the same thing happened to him one time, he seemed to understand it so well. It had, but Aaron did not ask.

"Yes. And unlike some I didn't go round telling everyone"

His bitterness was palpable.

"But there's nothing I can think of and I thought a lot I can tell you, about what might have happened. I know she was seeing someone from another school or maybe a college student for a while. Never said who to me. I wish I did know something"

"Okay Aaron. You can go now"

"There...um...there is one thing sir? If you can say?"

Munch shrugged.

"Was...er...was Judy pregnant...I know I should have and my Dad would kill me but that night I never used anything and she said it would be okay" he blurted.

John faced a dilemma. There were some facts they did not want the students to know, aware that some uncertainties or doubts could encourage them to say more. But this was a boy scared half to death that something he did might have led, in an indirect way, to the death of the girl he was sweet on.

"Did she ever tell you she thought she might be?"

"No"

"Then I don't think you need to worry about that Aaron. Now get off to chemistry or whatever"

As the door closed, Munch ticked Rothstein off the list glad he did not have to drag it out of the kid somehow. And sparing him any hint of the hazy and uncomplimentary comments Judy had made about his fumblings in her diary. And from the minor panic she was having for a week until her period came.

_In the room next door_ Elliot Stabler was doing well to contain his disdain for and irritation with, _"smart ass"._ Will Saunders was one of those good looking rich kids almost raised to believe the world still owed them. With a casual contempt for everyone, even his so called friends, was either genuine or he worked hard to create, thinking it might impress people. Who would get into Yale or somewhere on his Dad's dollar and connections.

The casual and almost braggart way he let drop he _"was banging"_ Summer for a while when asked to confirm his closest circle of friends. Like it was going to impress a middle aged cop? How it was through her, Judy joined _"their select circle"_ and giving the distinctive impression he only just avoided saying _"my select circle". _

"What about Judy? Was she lucky enough to get your attention for a while Will?" Stabler limited the sneer.

Saunders leaned back in his seat "We might have got to third base a few times. What I mean is she..."

"I doubt third base moved far since my day" snapped Stabler. "So who supplied the drink and drugs at the parties?"

For the first time there was hesitation and the chair rocked back onto four legs. As Saunders tried to weigh up just what Stabler might already know.

"Different people. Quite a lot of us have older brothers or sisters. You know? At college or legal age?"

"You don't"

"That's true. And yes once or twice I did buy a joint or two from a guy goes to the same tennis club"

At best that was downplaying events. _WS_ had featured quite often amongst those Judy wrote brought contraband to parties and once had apparently lifted several bottles from his parents generous holiday order.

"We understand from Mrs Whiteman she got no reply from your home Saturday when she called"

"All out and maid's day off" Will shrugged.

"So you didn't see Judy?"

"No"

"And no idea why she might have taken money from an ATM two blocks from your apartment? Across the Park from where she lived"

"No"

There was another pause.

"Hold fire there...Saturday? I guess it might have been her left a history textbook in our mailbox. I think I loaned it to her in study period on Thursday. Found it Sunday? Maybe Saturday evening"

"Why so unsure Mr Saunders?"

"Saturday was an all round fu...foul up. I'd been up late playing _"Death Star"..._that's an on line computer game. My parents had gone up to Westchester to play golf Saturday morning. Taken the Lexus and left by the time I got up around eleven. And...and though I'm not insured to drive it I took the old man's Porsche to go uptown. To a music store on 137th. Get some cool mixes for the dance next week? Anyway, when I came back to the car I was jumped and two Hispanics made off with the car..."

"What time was this?"

"Around twelve thirty I guess, so I was probably gone if Judy called at the apartment block around that time. And of course I called the cops and my Dad"

"Bet he was pleased"

"No shitting" muttered the kid in a mixture of insolent sarcasm and the first hint at any regret.

Regret, Stabler suspected at getting caught, not the initial disobedience and breaking of the law.

"We were at the cop shop for hours. Why Mrs W never got an answer when Judy went missing. You can check"

"We will" Stabler promised, well aware there were half truths in Will's story.

And wondering if they were about more than keeping things from his father's wrath.

_In the room the other side of Elliot_ the door had been kept open. Finn knew why Eames had insisted he tackle _"the minx"_ Summer Petersen. He was either to flirt the truth out of her by playing on her precocious adolescent sexuality. Or metaphorically slap it out of her. She had unbuttoned her blouse a little more, insinuated herself into the room and more or less flashed her panty gusset at him as she breathed _"I'm glad it's you Detective"._

That made it an easy choice for Tutuola.

He jerked out the chair the far side of the table, stood by the door he knew he was wise to leave open and snapped "Sit down there and behave little girl".

Of course Summer had retreated to the other strategy of the sulky airhead throughout. Or almost, as she was unable to control her usual modus operandi at all times. She was one of the group of girls frequented _Lime Juice_ and conceded she, Judy and others had occasionally snuck away early from class or not gone at all. Taken the opportunity of a little extra retail therapy or to see a boy parentally disapproved of or what she alleged was some other essentially harmless teenage activity.

It was also obvious she was Judy's closest _"girlfriend"_ and did admit something had been bugging Judy for about the last week. Something Summer put down either to PMT, somehow looking for Finn to be unaware of what that was or maybe something to do with her parents fighting over summer vacation visits? Or could be she was still smarting over Mark Franconi.

But Finn would stake next month's pay check on it being an outright lie Summer did not know who _"BC"_ was. Got quite a nasty shock when he asked her out of the blue and mumbled about it being someone Judy knew through the _"UN crowd"_ whose parents socialised a lot together.

_For John Munch,_ Mark Franconi was in marked contrast to Aaron Rothstein. One of those boys who already looked like a man and not with the androgynous looks of that _"smart ass"_ kid and certain male movie stars these days. Little wonder he was an aspiring quarterback. And was polite and helpful throughout. Almost certainly downplayed the amount of drinking and illicit substances amongst the circle of friends, but did not fear naming names on the suppliers.

Including himself could often just pass as 21 to buy liquor. But never drugs. Munch believed him, in part because he freely admitted he and Judy _"did it"_ a couple of times. Once in his father's BMW. Franconi professing he was split from his regular girlfriend a class below at the time and his only concern she did not find out as they were now back together.

As the boy/man left Munch was tempted to say Melissa did not know _"yet"_. But why spoil his day?

He took a moment to write up his notes and wonder what had been so important to call Alex away to 1PP.

_**To be continued...**_


	8. Chapter 8

**Tuesday 16****th**** June**

_**CSU, 1PP**_

Eames had enjoyed the drive downtown, even though it meant leaving the interviews after only speaking with Sophie Adams. Mainly because she rarely got to drive herself these days. There was always an assumption when you had the rank of a Lieutenant, the more junior officer drove and she had been too polite to reject the automatic good manners of her fellow officers at SVU in going to the driver's side. But it was also because she did not have Elliot in the passenger seat.

Until she solved the problem of a permanent partner for him, hopefully with Faith Dempsey being the answer, Eames had found herself often filling in with Stabler. In some ways it was a good thing. She had learned to appreciate the qualities of a detective she had never been _"quite sure about_". But unlike Goren who probably drove no more than thirty miles the whole time they were partnered, Stabler was a _"fidget_" as a passenger.

Bobby would think problems and ideas through, whereas Elliot preferred talking them out. Goren could _"relax",_ do other things when she drove and once even wrote out a cheque for his electricity bill. But Stabler watched the road and traffic as assiduously as if he were the one driving. And once or twice she was sure he'd bitten his tongue to stop himself telling her to slow down or to be careful of something. Whereas Bobby just sat back and the one time they did have a fairly hair-raising pursuit on their hands, he'd just hung on and the only words out of his mouth were _"This is fun"._

And some of what Jill Quinell had told her over the phone made the trip worthwhile after she was done with Sophie. Miss Adams was a quiet and pleasant young lady who had gotten the _"wrong side"_ of Judy Morley after initially befriending her when she was new to the US and the school. A serious student she never featured in the wilder episodes of the diary, but Eames was fascinated to know why _"SA"_ was _"a bitch"_ and _"a bore"._ It did not take long to work out. Once she got taken up by Summer Petersen's group, the ones who strove to be _"popular"_ Judy began to resent Sophie's good grades and more modest approach to her social life. She was quite a wise young woman when she said she didn't think Judy enjoyed a lot of what went on but lacked the courage, so determined to _"fit in"_, to say no. And certainly resented her occasional attempts to offer her good advice.

Their only real or regular contact now was sharing a cab to _Lime Juice_ more or less every Saturday. They lived close by and it would be embarrassing for both of them to explain to their parents they were not really friends any more. As to Judy skipping class, Sophie knew it had happened because she was not there for them to make the return journey together. It had made it awkward for her less Mrs Morley discover the deceit she was unwillingly part of. As to whom Judy was seeing or what she was doing, Sophie had no clue. Did not know who _"BC"_ might be. But if it was someone connected with _Lime Juice, _the ballet classes she was in were on the fourth floor and the _"modern"_ or whatever Judy did, happened in the second and third level studios.

"Hi Jill" Eames greeted the CSI who was doing the lab work on their case and who a long time ago Bobby had dated.

"Good to see you Alex" replied the other woman.

Others at SVU resented being distant from the technicians working their cases and would sometimes gripe about the trip to 1PP. It was par for the course with specialist teams based away from the HQ building. But Eames had been there so many years she still enjoyed a slight excuse for a visit and catch up with old friends and acquaintances.

"Tell me all the news you've got is of the good kind"

"Some is, some is confusing" said Jill spreading out various evidence bags, each one with a typed report beside it.

"I'm certain your girl spent part of her last day in a repair shop or maybe a truck regularly carried used vehicle parts"

Eames looked at the grubby clothes as the CSI went on.

"Marking on the clothes is motor oil and various lubricants and on her hands was the sort of soot comes from inside an exhaust" read Jill. "Also found traces of vehicle paint and the hair combing yielded quite a high quantity of brake pad material"

"The sort used on older model vehicles?" mused Alex studying the list of substances "So we are probably not talking about the shop of a high end dealership?"

"Would not be my guess" said Jill. "But along with that we also found fish scales and saw dust on the clothes and two small fragments of shredded paper in her hair. Put that with what Liz said about the body position and it has me thinking of a truck used for a variety of jobs. One of which might be transporting car parts"

"Thanks and I suppose you saved the best to last?"

"Always" grinned Jill picking up a small bag. "Your slug. Three fifty seven, a match to only one on the system and that only went on record a couple of hours before this one. Step this way Alex"

They went over to Jimmy Antonelli's work station.

"This was dug out of a car belonging a fireman found Sunday morning on West 38th. Not only do the slugs match but the blood on this denim is a match for the Morley girl and splatter from the guy whose TOD is about two hours after hers. Jimmy found red mullet scales on the cloth..."

"Which is the same species found on Judy" concluded Eames. "So who is working this case Liz?"

"You may have got lucky again there Alex"

_**Major Case Squad Room, 1PP**_

Goren and Logan had swung by the Firehouse to speak with the last remaining officers worked shifts at Engine 21. And drawn the same blank they had everywhere else. It gnawed on them both. The prospect of having to go to Ross and admit they hit a dead end.

As Goren went through the doors he stopped so suddenly Mike bounced off him. Firmly convinced he was having a prolonged sense of déjà vu. Seeing his partner, no his ex partner, his good friend sitting where she sat for so many years flipping through a file. And when you've just received a smart if accidental kick on the ankle from a size eleven, who would blame him for a moment of nostalgia and regret. To want back beside him and behind him a more petite and less clumsy partner than Logan.

"Anything we can do for you ma'am?" enquired Logan as he went over to her with a grin.

"Reading how far you did not get with this Allen case Mike, I think it's more what I can do for you. And cut that out" her tone softened somewhat as she smiled.

"Hello Bobby"

"Hi Alex" he straddled his chair quickly to leave Logan standing.

She glanced at the file again and then between the two of them.

"You are both working this? Together? Danny partnered the two of you?"

"Think you could try for a little more incredulity there Eames?" asked Goren.

"It's Captain Ross or sir to us" Logan chipped in. "Has its compensations though. It's his worst nightmare apparently"

"Second" corrected Eames. "First is Jeter being traded to the Mets"

"Told you" gloated Goren briefly.

"What are you thinking about this fireman Goren?" Eames enquired suddenly all business again.

"It's either totally random or he was a witness to something. Some denim Mike found was used as an improvised silencer and the fresh blood pooling on that was from another person"

"Switch on your e mail and you'll find out whom. I've just come from downstairs. Fish scales on that and the blood match the girl we found in a dumpster yesterday"

"The one...the diplomats daughter?" frowned Logan. "I read the alert this morning for her missing bag and watch"

"That's her and with her time of death and the other things I would not mind betting maybe your guy saw or interrupted an attempt to dump her body"

"Doubt he did much interrupting from the back seat of a car with his pants round his ankles. Do you Bobby?"

Goren shook his head knowing Eames got the picture right away. "Nothing else we uncovered to make him a target so I think someone was worried he saw something, someone or maybe a vehicle he could identify"

"Didn't have any connection with a body shop or anything like that? Or a _Lime Juice Dance Studio_ come up in your investigation?"

"Nothing at all like that Alex" confirmed Logan. "Nor anything to suggest he could have been involved in the killing of your girl and then got whacked. He was on duty when she vanished and has no connections with people or places in her parts of town"

"Can I take it we are about to hand this over to SVU?" asked Goren with his most innocent expression.

"Not so fast Goren" snorted Eames.

"Can I buy you lunch and then you'll take the case off my desk?"

Eames did laugh at that "I swear you got more cunning the older you got Bobby. And no. We don't have time for lunch in SVU. Unlike some people"

"Forget it Goren" said Ross who sometimes did seem to appear like magic. "Hello Alex"

"Sir" she nodded.

"You done with them?"

"Think so"

"Good. Bobby? Mike? Get yourselves off to _The Washington Military School_ in Bayside. Sounds like an accidental but the dead kid is Justin Toomey"

"Who?" growled Mike.

"Toomey?" frowned Goren. "General _"Two Gun"_ Toomey?"

"His grandson. And since you know who he is, I can tell you are the right man for this one Goren"

"Oh shit" breathed Logan. "The former congressman from Maine? The one had a short run at the White House last time?"

"The same" confirmed Ross. "Though I gather he's out of the country right now"

Goren was gathering a fresh pad and other things from his desk "Has been a lot. Ever since those pictures turned up showing him toking with his troops in Cambodia"

"I guess it took the edge off all those alleged covert black ops he was famous for" observed Logan recalling the _"war record"_ that had been part of Toomey's campaign. "Wonder if _Two Gun_ will be the last to think he'd make a good President because he killed so many people overseas?"

"We'll find out in November how mature a democracy we have become Mike" observed Goren pocketing his badge.

"You'll find my boot print on your rears if you don't quit the polemic and get out of here" muttered Ross.

Logan took the sheet of paper from the Captain's hand as they turned to leave.

"What's _polemic_ Bobby?"

"_Nightmare"_ breathed Danny Ross to himself before turning to Alex. "Want to step into my office and discuss whatever it is Lieutenant?"

She watched Goren's back for a moment. First time she'd seen him _"on duty"_ since she left. Of course it brought the odd pang of nostalgia for what they had shared and been through together. Chances were she would never have a _"real partner"_ the way other Detectives did ever again. That was one price you paid for the grade. That close relationship and support you could rely on from one person above all others. And Eames had always doubted she would ever find that again in the way it had been between her and Bobby. Part of her did wish it was still her beside him instead of Logan.

She picked up the file from the desk and followed Ross, knowing she was about to let him cross a case off his board.

_**To be continued...**_


	9. Chapter 9

**Tuesday 16****th**** June**

_**The Washington School, Francis Lewis Boulevard, Queens**_

The school stood in large grounds, with the main and original building dating from the late nineteenth century and ivy covered in several places. To one side projected a newer, ugly addition and beyond that two other blocks. Logan turned the SUV around the circle of grass on which the only items were three flag poles. Flying the Stars and Stripes, the New York State flag and a third must be that of the school. The area in front of the main entrance was bordered by white painted small boulders and looked to his inexperienced eye like any other _"parade ground"_ he ever saw.

The sense you were as much at a military establishment as a school was re-enforced when from the portico, a khaki clad kid appeared. He was even wearing a forage cap and as the window eased down, he saluted Mike.

"Sorry sir. But you can't park here Mister"

Logan took his badge from the dash and shoved it towards the kid "It's Detective and I'll park where I want. Now go find Captain Bolt"

"Yessir"

The boy who looked about fourteen hurried inside the building and as Logan got out, Goren went to the rear of the vehicle to lift out an emergency crime scene bag. The school had apparently not reported the death to the local precinct, thinking it not suspicious.

A tall man in full uniform came down the steps, carrying what appeared to be a table napkin. The left side of his face was swollen.

"Captain Bolt?" began Mike.

"It's Major" he cut in sounding offended his rank insignia had passed this cop by. "Major John Harriman. The Commandant. When Cadet Toomey died I was off base having root canal work done"

"We'd like to have Captain Bolt with us" shrugged Logan putting on his shades. "If you were not here when the death occured and we understand it was him who found Justin. I'm sure you are very busy"

"Very well"

The Major turned to the boy waiting on the steps for orders.

"Ask Doctor Duvall if he would care to join us. Then go find Captain Bolt" he barked before turning back to Mike. "Ronnie Duvall has been the school medico for many years. He's also the local coroner. Two reasons he was sent for"

Logan decided that might turn out to have been useful. As a coroner Duvall should have known to move the body as little as possible and leave the scene as much intact as practicable.

"I'm sure we can clear this up fairly quickly Detective...?"

"Logan" he gestured to Bobby. "And Goren"

Harriman looked at Goren for a long moment and vice versa.

"Sergeant Goren" Harriman said softly.

"Detective will do fine Mr Harriman"

"It's Major or Commandant"

"Courtesy titles only" shrugged Goren.

Harriman tutted "Still the insolent, insubordinate shit you always were Goren?"

"Still wanting simple solutions Harriman?"

Any further _"unpleasantness"_ or risk of them squaring off with each other was avoided by the arrival of the doctor.

As he introduced himself, Logan smelt alcohol on his breath.

"You'll report to me later Detectives"

It was said as a mixture of order and enquiry and with that, Harriman turned on his heel and returned inside the building. The kid stepped aside and stood like a statue as they passed in the portico before hurrying over.

"Sir? Captain Bolt said to say he will meet you at the gym sir!"

"Thanks" said Logan

"This way" gestured Duvall.

Mike was suddenly aware the kid was coming with them. No doubt re-assigned from sentry duty or whatever he was doing to be their runner.

"Dismissed" said Goren kindly and solving that problem.

As they walked down the side of the building where it was obvious vehicles were allowed to park, Duvall explained something of the school. Like most of its kind it had been founded by a former soldier as a private establishment aimed at those sections of society could not afford the most exclusive prep schools. The middle classes whose sons might aspire to West Point, hence the ethos of the school or others who wanted their sons prepared for college and for whom a highly disciplined environment where they could board met certain needs. _Washington_ had always taken its share of kids from military families with distant and these days, usually overseas, postings. And used various trusts and donations to offer free or subsidised places to the fatherless sons of the military. In the nineteenth and early part of the twentieth it had also provided a few places for the State. Difficult orphans or boys who would otherwise be heading to detention facilities.

"Of course that's all changed". The Doctor was breathing hard to keep up. "These days only about fifty of the boys are regulars"

"_Regulars?_" enquired Logan.

"From military families like the Toomey kid. His grandfather and father were here. Around a hundred are brats. Kids whose folks can pay but are a pain in the ass at home or been thrown out of a private school. Another third are some hard core cases _Children's Services_ fund because they disrupt group homes and didn't do anything bad enough to get sent up river. Scum mainly"

"A label and status I'm sure Harriman makes well known" muttered Goren.

The gymnasium was a separate block bounded on one side by an athletic track and by a baseball diamond on the other. In winter that probably became the football field. As they turned to the entrance marked _"field"_ as opposed to _"gym"_ the Doctor pointed out Bolt coming from the rear of the old building. The Captain had a distinctive limp.

"Leonard has the keys" he shrugged proceeding to light a cigarette while they waited.

Logan jerked his head towards the corner and Goren set down the case to follow.

"It might help me Bobby if I knew what the beef is between you and Harriman. And please tell me this will not interfere with the job"

"So long as he stays out of my way it won't"

Goren stepped into the shade of the building.

"I was six weeks from my discharge when I was sent to San Antonio. Fort Sam Houston. Looked like a simple case of stores going missing. Mainly from the motor pool. But we are talking a lot of parts. I think everyone from the _Spurs _to the _Park Rangers_ at _Big Bend_ were driving on Army tires. Usual thing with these cases is to send someone in under cover because you never know just how far up the chain people are involved"

"And Harriman was in charge of the motor pool?"

"Responsible ultimately for all stores down to the pillows on bunks and gum in the PX. My cover was as a deadbeat private and it did not take too long to find my way into part of the group of enlisted up to no good. I managed to turn a sergeant who was basically a good guy got sucked in thanks to unpaid alimony and child support. It was him put me onto the fact there was more going on. The bulk of the motor parts were finding their way over the border. They had a friendly rancher onside and I guess you know there is no real or physical border along long sections of the Rio Grande"

"And patrolled far less in those days"

"Exactly. But what mattered was the spares were being used in part exchange for drugs. Tailpipes out, coke and weed in. And I still believe even if he was unaware of the drugs, Harriman was involved. Had to be for them to get away with it. But something went wrong. I think the sergeant gave the game away during a run down to Mexico one night. Just as I was about to call in the re-enforcements Harriman organised the discharge of his Lieutenant who was the book-keeper for the operation, transferred to Germany a couple of the key people and the sergeant...well the sergeant's body was found in dry creek bed three months later"

"You think Harriman did that?"

"No. Probably the Mexican end of the operation or maybe the rancher. Harriman was one of my...my losses...and thanks to someone in Washington, the dogs of CID got called off very quickly. Everyone happy to let a dozen enlisted go do plenty of time at Leavenworth. Bastard waved me off from the steps of his office with a grin as wide as the Mississippi"

_**SVU**_

Don Cragen met Eames as she returned to the Squad Room. With the news he'd sent John Munch to oversee a canvas of the area where the fireman had been found. Of course _Major Case_ would have made sure it was done properly but they were asking questions relating to a different person and vehicle.

In the small and very stuffy interview room, Finn was adding some details to the map of Manhattan they were using to track Judith Morley's known movements on Saturday, while Stabler was going through the interview notes for her classmates done that morning. Pulling out things more than one person said and one of those he told her was something bothering Judy for the last week of her life. Apart from Summer, two other students and her home room teacher were saying much the same, but none had a firm idea what it might be.

"Makes you wonder about what she wrote" mused Eames sticking close to the window for the faint breeze. "Something to do with Adam, the brother?"

"Time to have another word with him? Press him a little more?"

"I'd say yes Elliot but the Captain just told me his father is due in from London about now. If we can hold off for today?"

"I think so" he agreed. "For one thing there's that line the Saunders boy fed me...oh sorry you don't know...how he thinks it might have been Judy left a book at his place Saturday morning"

"If so it will have her prints" added Tutuola.

"Good reason to call" shrugged Elliot. "And I'd like to see the kids face when he comes home for milk and cookies to find us waiting"

"Finn? Mind picking up from Elliot?"

"Fine by me"

Stabler stood up "And could you run down the report of Mr Saunders stolen _Porsche _as well?"

"_Porsche?_" frowned Tutuola as Eames tossed Elliot the car keys and they left together.

_**The Gymnasium, Washington School**_

The _"field"_ locker room and associated showers offered a blessed coolness thanks to the amount of old fashioned and thick white tiling inside. The sort acted as insulation to keep it cool in summer and freezing in winter. Logan supposed as Goren suddenly halted on the way through, they had both known their share of such places as shivering schoolboys.

"Something wrong?" asked Bolt.

"Um...was this kit bag here when you came in Captain?"

"Yes I'm sure it was. This is Toomey's locker as you can see"

The body of Justin Toomey lay around the corner at the far end. Along one side of the room were pegs for clothes and towels. And, on the other side of a central drain ran the length of the room, a rectangle of tiling punctuated by ten showerheads with a single control valve at one end. The tool of sadistic Phys Ed teachers the world over since they could simply hose you down with suddenly freezing water as a way of getting ten guys out and the next ten in.

"I thought we ought to..." said Duvall with no real aim as Goren peeled back the sheet.

Justin was a well built, seventeen year old on the cusp of manhood.

"Was he here when you found him Captain?" asked Logan as his partner ran gloved fingers over the boy's head and then lifted his lids and opened the mouth to sniff.

"Closer to the shower head. On his side. I pulled him this way"

The quietly spoken Captain paused "I suppose I thought I should get him away from the water he might have been inhaling"

"You found this contusion I suppose?" asked Goren indicating a lump at the front of the kid's head just under the hairline.

"No" said Duvall "Of course it's probably swollen more since..."

"While you were dining I expect" said Logan. "Bobby?"

"Slight blueness of the lips is consistent with anaphylactic shock, so is this foam round the mouth..."

"Well I'm glad you agree" muttered the medic.

"And..." Goren turned the head slightly. "Looks like some hives forming here which are characteristic of an allergic reaction. I can't feel a skull fracture but you can't rule out a haemorrhage. He'd not reported any illness Captain Bolt? Or had a bad fall during the game?"

"No. Like I said played a good game as short stop for _Sherman Battalion_ this morning"

They had gathered that for residential purposes the school was divided into three _"Battalions"_ or dormitory areas with boys aged 13 to 18 split between them. The idea being that the older cadets acted as role models for younger ones and exercised some supervision to develop their leadership skills. And save staff duty time as well no doubt.

"One thing confuses me" said Logan. "How come Justin was in the showers on his own? Where were the rest of the team?"

"Ah...um...well" Bolt looked awkward. "After the match Cadet Toomey was doing five laps on the track. Standard punishment for his offense"

"_Offense?_" frowned Logan as Goren gently checked over the rest of the body for any injuries.

"I teach History, Detective. Toomey failed to hand in an assignment yesterday"

Goren covered the kid again and stood up "You see him do them?"

"No. I was overseeing the Regiment back to the main building"

"So how do you know he did them?"

Captain Bolt looked for a moment like Mike had dropped his pants and bared his ass "Of course he did them! It's a matter of trust and honour. And despite his recent...Cadet Toomey is not the sort of young man to cheat"

"But it also means you don't know if he had some form of respiratory distress while doing those laps"

"That's true Detective Goren" he said quietly then turned at the sound outside.

"Sounds like the ME's office" said Logan.

"Is that necessary?" asked Duvall.

"Yes" said Goren stepping over the body. "You can go too Captain. We know where to find you"

Logan watched him pick up, sniff and bag two bottles under the shower. One of shampoo and one of shower gel. He also bagged a sponge while Mike turned and did the same to a towel hanging on a hook had _"J. Toomey"_ on a label stitched to it.

Once he was sure the other two men were clear, Goren went back to the body.

"Mike?"

He lifted out the left arm. Down its length from shoulder to wrist were series of thin ragged scars. None looked recent.

"He either fell in barbed wire one time or this kid used to be a cutter" said Logan softly.

"Uhuh" said Goren "And something else bothers me. About that bag outside"

_**To be continued...**_


	10. Chapter 10

**Tuesday 16****th**** June**

_**The Kitchen, Washington School**_

Mrs Deveraux's ample girth made her look like a woman who sampled plenty of her own cooking and knew how to keep the bellies of nearly three hundred boys satisfied.

She wiped a tear from her eye as she spoke.

"Such a lovely young man...but no Detective we didn't send out any food to the baseball game. They only play three innings in these matches and it was just some sliced oranges and juice. There's a fountain near the changing rooms for any wanted water. And before you ask there is no way Justin could have got nut traces via the knife used on the oranges. Usual hygiene aside we have five kids with nut allergy but Justin is...was...the only one had a problem with tree nuts so we know to be careful."

"I'm sure you do Mrs Deveraux" said Logan who had already seen notices in the kitchen regarding the cleaning and storage of knives between use.

A chart she had on the wall listed each boy with a food allergy or religious diet and beside it that week's menu showed the alternative dishes for each of them.

"Did Justin ever have a reaction you know of while he was at school?"

"Just once. Peanuts or things like hazelnuts are most likely to be used in cookies, cakes or maybe pies. The most junior kids wait their tables for the others. A new cadet got the numbers muddled up and a plate of cookies with ground coconut went to Justin's table by mistake. Soon as he bit in I think he knew and of course he carried that pen thing all the time. Gave himself a shot and was well enough to finish supper as I recall"

Duvall's suspicion of anaphylactic shock, supported by Goren at this stage, as possible cause of death made sense when you knew Justin Toomey was highly allergic to tree nuts as opposed to the more commonly known one to ground or peanuts. But like Bobby, Mike had seen such allergic reaction. Knew how quickly it could happen. The substance didn't even have to reach the stomach for it to take effect.

_Which raised the question of how the dead boy came into contact with it?_ He was effectively alone for about forty minutes according to the timeline Bolt had given them. From when the other baseball players left the locker room, when Justin was still doing his laps of the track, to when the Captain went in search of him when he failed to appear at his table in the dining hall.

They had searched the bag in the locker room. Found no kind of food or ingredients of any type inside. But two full, unused _"epipens"_ were there. Exactly what you would expect from a kid who knew he was highly sensitive and had a matter of seconds to receive a shot of adrenaline could be the difference between life and death.

Now they had CSU support on site, a search was being made of trash cans in that area for any candy or energy bar Justin might have mistakenly eaten. But what had puzzled Goren about the gym bag was that the bottom and side showed a couple of damp patches. Still detectible in this heat thanks to the insulating qualities of that building where Justin died. Which tended to suggest at some point it had been the _"wet"_ or shower side of the changing rooms. And if so, either Justin changed his mind and moved it out or someone else did. With the result that when he felt the effect of his allergy coming on as he showered, Justin would have been very lucky to make it to his bag to use the life saving epipen before he passed out.

_**The Library, Washington School**_

Goren sat in his shirtsleeves grateful for the breeze the high windows of the room were somehow catching. In the original building, it could have been the library of a gentleman's club with the dark panelled walls and the only concession to modernity were half a dozen computers in one corner. He'd not taken the chance to scan the shelves but he suspected they were high in content of the military and historical nature and short on anything which might give rise to radical ideas or dangerous thinking in the young. Many branches of the military and quasi military were not so much _"neo-con" _as _"always con"._

He was flipping quickly through Justin Toomey's file, grateful Bolt had not questioned the legitimacy of him seeing it without a whole lot of red tape and thus avoiding another confrontation with Harriman. The kid had been here since he was thirteen and a cursory look suggested his grades were good. Very few _"offences",_ successful in sporting activities and reports to indicate he set the sort of example and showed the kind of leadership, expected of a potential officer.

He was just getting to the current section when Mike returned. Bearing a plate of sandwiches courtesy of Mrs Deveraux and followed by that kid met them at the front. Seemed he was the duty _"orderly"_ for the day and he came with a jug of iced tea and two glasses.

"Thanks son" said Goren suddenly realising his stomach walls were meeting and it was growling a little.

"Captain Bolt is rounding up the two baseball squads" said Logan as the door shut.

"Ungh"

It's hard to enunciate clearly with a mouthful of BLT on wholemeal.

Logan swallowed "Would you send a kid of yours to a place like this?"

"Never in million" chewed Goren. "Don't doubt it suits a few, may even straighten out some of the bad boys but with a few exceptions the military is not set up to encourage independent thinking"

"Never understood why you did it then Bobby"

"Military police is very different to the infantry and...and just say...I had other reasons"

Logan suspected he knew what they might be. Goren never spoke much of personal matters but Mike knew he'd had it rough as a kid with his father running off, his mother's mental illness and an increasingly feckless older brother in Frank. There must have been times when a very heavy burden fell on Bobby at a very young age. And who could blame him if there was an element of _"running away"_ when he joined up. Getting the chance to see more of the world than any other cop Logan knew and if there was any element of _"selfishness"_ about those years, he'd earned them by then and came back. Became once again his Mom's carer, eventually her main source of financial support and no question forewent many things himself until the day she died.

Mike took another sandwich. "Think one of the bottles was spiked? Seems the most likely source to me. Nasty prank went very badly wrong?"

"Me too. There is one possibility though"

"Mmm...that Justin deliberately swallowed something containing a tree nut product. Though doing it in the middle of the day and about to take a shower is an unusual scenario for killing yourself"

"Agreed" Goren swallowed. "But it might explain why he moved the kit bag. To get it out of reach? So he could not change his mind at the last minute"

Logan reached for the iced tea. "There's lot of dog don't hunt about the suicide theory"

_**West 71**__**st**__** Street**_

Neither Justin nor Mrs Saunders were home when Eames and Stabler arrived at the apartment block. One of those kids almost lost the use of his legs according to the concierge. Luckily for them, if not Benny, he had been on duty Saturday morning covering for a buddy's vacation. He was absolutely certain Judy Morley did not show up that day though he recognised her from times she had arrived with other friends of Will's. They had the decorators in the lobby the previous week so he had spent most of the morning cleaning up odd spots of paint, replacing the furniture and re-hanging the pictures. And when he needed to pee he told Stabler, he locked the front door. Residents had keys and his predecessor had been canned by the _Management Committee_ for forgetting and getting found out three times.

What he did tell them was interesting however. That if Judy arrived or departed via the basement garage for which only resident's had key cards, he would have had no way of knowing if she was in the building.

"By his own admission Will was out in his father's Porsche later that morning" said Stabler softly as they sat on an overstuffed couch to wait.

Eames nodded "And there's the witness said he got the impression Judy might have been looking out for a vehicle. If we can trap him in an outright lie Elliot we'll try and rustle a warrant ASAP. Not give Saunders Junior time to clean up anything he missed or get his Daddy on the case"

"Neither parent has a gun permit by the way" added Stabler "Doesn't mean there is not one but..."

"But however crooked a lawyer is, they rarely own or risk being caught with an illegal gun"

Elliot smiled at that.

Twenty minutes later they had somewhat revised their opinion of Jed Saunders and rapidly concluded it was Marie who was largely responsible for the creation of the spoiled princeling that was their son. Soon as they met in the lobby she was calling her husband and seeking to _"protect"_ Will. Creating the impression he was the most emotionally fragile creature on the Earth and finding a textbook might help them track the movements of a dead girl, a great hardship to him. It was clear from the one side of the conversation they heard, his father was having none of it and expected him to co-operate. And while this was going on the kid stood to one side as casual as can be. Stabler suspected he knew just how to play one parent against the other to get what he wanted.

As soon as they entered the apartment Mrs Saunders simply abandoned her son. Started complaining to the maid about a couple of drooping flowers in the arrangement in the hallway and excused herself to go deal with a couple of urgent telephone calls. Where to have coffee or go shopping tomorrow Eames suspected as they followed Will to his room on the upper floor.

"It was this one" he said pointing to the book as instructed by Eames.

"That's a biology text" said Stabler "You told me it was history"

The kid's face turned pale as he realised he'd been caught out in a casual lie but he tried to cover it.

"Oh yeah...that one then"

Elliot removed it with a gloved hand into an evidence bag.

"You do realise Will" he said quietly. "If we don't find Judy's prints on this you will have more explaining to do?"

"Sure" he shrugged. "But like I told you Saturday was a really messed up day. I might have made a mistake. Got confused"

Just then the door was pushed open and a cat walked in. A long haired, blue/grey creature. Persian perhaps.

"Oh what a lovely cat" cooed Eames bending down to pick it up. "What's your name then?"

"Springsteen" muttered Will "Mom loves him. He's okay but the cat's a pain in the butt"

Behind him Stabler stared hard at Eames. Not because she was stroking the thing so vigorously but because he remembered the report from trace as well as she did. The hairs found in the lace of Judy's bra. Cat hairs of just that shade from a _"long haired breed"_ and it was an usual location for accidental transfer when the Morley family did not own a cat of any breed and colour.

"Oh dear" sighed Eames as she put _"Springsteen" _down. "I see one of the problems"

Her green t shirt was fairly well covered with hair.

"This the bathroom? I'll sponge them off"

She ducked in knowing she could rely on Elliot to keep the kid distracted while she placed some of the hairs in a plastic bag and then sponged the rest with tissue. Tissue she went to place in the trash. A trash can she did not have to search hard to find a used condom and which she _"accidentally"_ kicked over. It turned out to have two condoms amongst the other debris.

"Um Will?" she said "Sorry about the mess but do you mind if I take these rubbers?"

"What for?" he asked suspiciously.

"Thought you would know that being a lawyer's son" Stabler hissed in his ear from behind. "Lab can probably get a sample from the outer surface. Find female cells? Enough to do a DNA? You heard of that. If you didn't it's probably in that biology book over there"

"You tipped that over on purpose. That's...illegal...not in plain view..."

"I can see it clearly enough" shrugged Eames. "It was a genuine accident. A bit like your genuine confusion about Saturday. Anyway a judge can always rule it inadmissible later. On the other hand this cat hair on my shirt..."

She took a bag from Elliot and was pulling on a glove, when Will Saunders sighed wearily.

"Okay. I'll tell you what happened. Make a statement. Whatever. But I want my father there"

"Good idea" Eames muttered.

_**To be continued...**_


	11. Chapter 11

**Tuesday 16****th**** June**

_**The Library, Washington School**_

Goren and Logan had interviewed the baseball squad of _"Sherman Battalion"_ and their opponents from _"Grant"_ in groups of two and three. By grade since they ranged in age from a couple of fourteen year olds through to the two senior class men. Asking much the same questions about how Justin seemed both in mood and health that morning and how well they knew him. Needless to say, the younger kids from the other dorm knew him only as an older cadet they were supposed to look up to and an occasional opponent on the diamond or a guy helped one with his swing.

It struck Logan how much teenage boys varied in those years. From an eighth grader close to himself in height and weight and needing a shave almost as much as Goren usually did by mid afternoon, to an eleventh grader looked about twelve and for whom the only effect of increased testosterone seemed to be a darkening of the fuzz under his nose.__But however they looked and however _"cool"_ or upset they seemed to be, the guys all told the same story more or less. That Cadet Toomey seemed fine all morning apart from one incident three of them witnessed while they were _"warming up"._ Not quite a shouting match, but certainly a testy conversation between Captain Bolt and Justin about the history essay. One the kid swore he handed in on time and at the staff _Common Room._

Goren made a note of that to possibly pursue later, but both he and Mike had exchanged glances when a Cadet Desouza from Justin's regular PE class responded to the question about the bag in the locker room. It seemed most boys took them the _"wet side"_ with their wash kit, towels and underwear. Justin was especially fixed in his habit because of his epipens. Desouza had shared a room with Justin in the past, so knew him checking he had the pouch in his pocket or backpack was as automatic as an adult made sure they had credit cards or car keys about their person. It was Desouza said no-way would Toomey move it himself and all had vehemently denied playing any dangerous joke by lacing anything Justin might have consumed or used.

The last two, the seniors, one from each battalion, said much the same.

"Nah" said Henderson the black kid. "Not saying there isn't some practical joking, some hazing of the new kids can get a bit...some fun with them...but I don't think anyone would do something could kill someone"

Goren picked up the hesitation and wondered just how mean a bastard like Harriman might allow "_hazing"_ to get.

"Was Justin popular?"

"Oh yeah" grinned the shaven headed and somewhat doltish Mackintosh. "The ladies liked Toomey. One especially..._ouch!_"

Logan did not need to kick Goren's ankle under the table to know he knew what happened.

"Really" grinned Mike. "Not averse to them myself. Player was he?"

"Not really" said Mackintosh. "Jus wasn't bad looking I guess and of course...well ya must know his family is famous and rich. That never does ya no harm with the local tail...I mean girls"

"That who Justin was popular with?" asked Goren "Surprised you get to meet them"

"Yes sir" said the more formal Henderson. "Older cadets, our grade and seniors, have a pass for the locale all day Saturday. And we get so many each month for the evenings sir. Strict curfew of course and then there's St Teresa's down the street. The girl's Catholic School sir? We do plays with them...stuff like that sir?""

Logan smiled "Bet even guys like you volunteer Cadet Mackintosh"

"You got to be shit...I mean... no sir" he blushed. "Did go one time for dancing but..."

This time it was Henderson who laughed briefly "But nuns and officers didn't make it easy for Mack to do what he had in mind"

"So was it a St Teresa's girl you meant?" asked Goren. "The one you were going to tell us about until your sore ankle bone decided otherwise?"

"I don't know" replied Mackintosh.

It was a blatant lie.

"Sirs?" said Henderson coming to the rescue. "Can't say I know who Justin might have been seeing"

"And too much of an officer and a gentleman to say if you did?" probed Goren. "Must be the only school where guys don't brag about their...um...adventures...their conquests"

"Not Justin's style anyhow" conceded Henderson.

"So if there was a problem with his romance...if they broke up and Justin was broken up...who would he talk to?"

"That fai...that Spender I guess" snorted Mackintosh. "His room-mate"

"You don't think Jus killed himself?" yelped Henderson. "Because of...because of a girl?"

"We don't think anything right now" said Mike after a pause.

Goren's glance told him he was done.

"Okay guys. You can go" his partner said.

As the door closed behind them Goren turned to Logan "You know I almost believed you myself for second there"

Logan snorted as he reached for the last of the iced tea and tapped his head "Can see your cogs turning too buddy. The room-mate next?"

"Uhuh"

_**Interview Room 2, SVU, Manhattan**_

The reasons to speak with Will Saunders there were three fold for Eames. Firstly, it was more convenient and quicker for Jed Saunders to see them there between meetings with clients at his law firm and secondly it brought a formality to the setting she and Elliot thought might shake Will from his casual indifference to the truth on a matter so serious. A hot, stuffy and bare room in a cop shop, an environment less comfortable than the air conditioned elegance of the family apartment. One time when Elliot's tattoos, his hard edge and the visible presence of his holster and cuffs might give the brat a reality check, combined with an irate and testy parent at his side.

The third reason was also practical. It gave them chance in preparation for the interview to slip an ace up their short sleeves. One Finn had discovered and called about in a smart piece of observation. And which they quickly tailored to suit their means while Jed Saunders spoke in private with his son.

As Will told a revised version of events on Saturday, Eames could sense the tension in Stabler. His contempt and anger with a spoiled kid who used street language at times and the demeaning way he spoke of Judy. But then he had daughters about the same age and Alex could understand why Elliot identified with their victim. Having parental nightmares that Kathleen or Lizzie might be doing the same sort of thing unknown to him and there be some boy like Will, equally disrespectful of them. In the end it was his father who told Will to _"mind his mouth"._ Much to Eames' relief, fearing much more and she would be suspending Elliot and dealing with a complaint because he smacked the kid firmly in it.

According to Will Saunders' latest version of events Judy had been keen to _"hook up"_ with him for some time. Made it seem she was keener to get in his shorts than he was her panties, but being back with Summer made opportunity difficult. That added to parental and domestic servant presence at their respective homes. Saturday morning seemed an ideal opportunity since Will knew the Morley girl and others had skipped class before. He'd taken his father's Porsche, picked her up near a coffee shop on Sixth and brought her back home. Arriving via the parking garage certainly fit with why Benny, the concierge never saw her. They had sex and she left.

"And did you leave together?"

"No"

"Try again Will" said Eames. "We spoke with Benny. We know she did not go out the street level entrance"

"Oh yeah? I remember. I drove her a couple of blocks to get the subway home...no...she was worried about the time. Let her out near the Natural History Museum. Easy to get a cab there"

"Did you take her to the bank on 73rd first? Maybe she needed some cash?"

"No. Like I said Detective Eames. Left her at the Museum"

"Time?" asked Stabler was taking notes

"Not sure. A little before noon?"

"Judy do track and field?" asked Eames pointedly. "Must be a hell of a runner to get five blocks in about a minute. When we got her on camera at the bank ATM"

"I said I wasn't sure about time"

"Okay" shrugged Stabler. "We'll need you to make a formal statement"

"Of course" said Jed Saunders. "Sorry my son's stupidity delayed your investigation. I can assure you he'll be punished for it by my wife and I"

"We'd consider charges but for the fact we have more urgent things to do" said Eames opening a folder. "Though we might be able to help you, sir. Does this look like your missing car?"

The picture she showed him was a close up of the last three digits of a plate and the quite distinctive rear corner of a _Porsche 911._ One they were certain was the jacked car from the plate and the report filed which mentioned a fender sticker for _"The New York Porsche Owner's Club"_ of which the lawyer was a member.

"Yes...yes that's mine...did you find...where was this picture taken?"

"Corner of seventy-third. By the bank ATM camera"

Eames slid two more pictures over the table. The first was of Judy at the machine and just visible in one corner, sitting a parking spot, a small part of Jed Saunders' _Porsche._ The second showed her lower legs and feet approaching the passenger side. Will had not just taken her to the machine. He'd waited for her.

Jed Saunders hit his son so hard in the face he almost fell off the chair and Elliot jumped to his feet ready to restrain him if he seemed liable to continue the assault on Will. He didn't and she left the three guys to deal with the aftermath while she stepped out.

"Thanks. Good one Finn" she smiled at Tutuola.

It was he who had gone back to the tape for another look as soon as he read the details of the stolen vehicle.

"My pleasure boss" he murmured as he replaced her for the next version of Will Saunders' Saturday morning.

_**Room 204, Sherman Battalion, Washington School**_

The room Justin Toomey shared with Theo Spender was in one of the newer and detached buildings. The other housed specialist teaching rooms for science and technology and a small vehicle maintenance shop. The news when they asked to speak with Cadet Spender that he was _"missing"_ had changed slightly the order of the investigation for Logan and Goren and sounded a troublesome note. Just why the kid had apparently skipped classes all afternoon and could not be found anywhere in the buildings of the school. If anyone had opportunity and maybe motive for doing something deliberately to someone it was those who were closest to them in every way.

It had not sat easy with Goren to agree to Harriman sending out _"a squad"_ of senior cadets to search for the Theo kid, but it was practical. They were down to two junior CSU technicians for support and as Logan said, it might have innocent explanation. And if anyone knew places in the grounds included woodland where a cadet might go for a sneaky smoke, it was other cadets. And their initial search of the much squared away room did not indicate Spender had gone far.

Lieutenant Lamont, the Math teacher and the _"Officer in Charge"_ of _Sherman_ dorm had quickly confirmed the clothes in his locker matched the limited amount of civilian wear each cadet was allowed. Spender might have stashed a _"get away"_ outfit and cash elsewhere but if so, he had not taken thirty bucks plus change in the top drawer of his dresser and left behind a small picture of his parents and younger sister. Lamont reckoned he was close to his family currently stationed in California and Theo was the sort of boy who would take such a sentimental item.

When he was gone, Goren held off a more detailed search of either half of the room while he stood and looked around.

"Guess this is a lot neater than anything you or Frank had as kids or I did with either of my brother's" murmured Logan as he pulled on gloves.

"Yeah" replied Bobby remembering his _"side"_ of rooms he and Frank had shared was always neat.

He pushed down thoughts of his late brother and the fact his shift was over and he would soon be calling Caro to confirm he'd be late again. Then stepped to Toomey's desk. Logan shrugged as he concluded what that left him with Spender's _"half" _of the room_._

Ten minutes later neither had turned up anything of any use. No incriminating bar of chocolate with hazelnuts in it, no letters or notes might indicate _"motive"_ or reason for Justin to have killed himself. Not even a secret stash of _"girly mags"_ behind the radiator Mike announced. He turned to see Goren staring at a line of books on the shelves he knew he had flicked through and replaced.

"Okay Bobby. Want to share with a mere mortal? What do you see is so obvious and I must have missed?"

To his credit Goren managed a sort of smile at that teasing and decided to play along.

"Look at these files and notebooks. What do you see Mike?"

Logan looked at the lower shelf. "Some are not exactly ninety degrees to the edge? One is on its side?"

"Could be wrong but..."

"But you wondered if someone came into this room looking for something?" Mike rolled his eyes a little. "Or it could just be Justin was not a neat freak one hundred percent of the time?"

"Unlike some people" he added with a soft mutter.

"You'll get used to it Mike" shrugged Goren "And I forgave you that thing with my pencil pot yesterday. Almost"

You'd think he'd stolen Goren's lunch money instead of moving that stupid mug the wrong side of the blotter.

"And there's the textbooks" Goren indicated.

"You mean they are not arranged by size?" enquired Logan fast concluding it probably took either another minor obsessive or someone been in the military to spot something like that.

Goren shook his head "No. Justin arranged the books by subject. Alphabetically from left to right. Book on _Leonardo_? Art here, math there. Except for three or four out of place...here and here"

"Possible further evidence of your theory, and it is only theory remember, that someone was in this room looking for something. Or to take something away. Find anything in any of these strangely out of place books?"

"This"

Over his shoulder Goren held a small piece of paper with a lot of numbers written on it.

"Jesus Bobby! Could just be what he used for working some math problem or checking his account balance. Or are you suggesting Toomey was a secret bookies runner?"

"No but it might be..."

Suddenly, Goren flung open the window behind Toomey's desk.

Logan could see a dark haired boy in school uniform being semi-manhandled by two large seniors. He was struggling a little and protesting.

"Are you Cadet Spender?" called Goren

"Yessir" he said coming to attention.

"We want to talk to you"

"Yessir"

"That a problem for you Cadet?"

"No sir" he looked up. "Did not know I was needed yet sir or I would have stuck around"

"Oh yeah" sneered one of the other cadets.

"You got use of your legs Spender?"

"Yessir"

"Gonna run off before you make it up here?"

"No sir"

"Good because I've got a gun. And you two jar heads can go find something else to do. Polish your boots or your heads or something"

"Ooh I love it when you are masterful Bobby" breathed Logan in his ear.

The reply was something it would be anatomically impossible for Logan to achieve. Even if he ever had the urge to try it.

_**To be continued...**_


	12. Chapter 12

**Tuesday 16****th**** June**

_**Room 201, Sherman Battalion, Washington School**_

It did not take a genius to work out why, when the school was not operating at full capacity, that room remained empty. It was the closest to the stairs and the furthest from the bathroom making it the most noisy and inconvenient for cadets to choose. It was being used partly for storage of some furniture perhaps awaiting repair and they intended to speak with Theo Spender there. That allowed the two unenthusiastic technicians freedom to dust _204 _for prints, once an equally sceptical Logan had allowed Spender to see the room long enough to confirm nothing obvious of his or Justin's was missing.

Hand on the kid's shoulder, he steered him into where Goren had cleared enough space on the two beds for them to sit. Both acutely aware that this was a minor who might turn out to be a suspect, Bobby was particularly careful to check he did not want a teacher or a friend present and make it clear he was not under any caution or arrest.

"Sit down Theo" he gestured watching the kid closely.

"Were you running away?"

"No sir" he smiled faintly at the thought. "I was just sitting on a log over at the assault course and thinking about Justin"

"First chance to...to show a little emotion?"

"Not exactly encouraged here sir"

"Guess not. So how long did you know Justin?"

"Since the day we arrived sir. Both Army brats in a way, so we had a lot in common"

"And roommates and best friends since?" asked Logan.

"Not really sir. We were mostly in different teaching groups and...and I was in Sheridan Battalion. Until six months ago"

"Why the transfer?" asked Goren.

"My roommate and I...we had a disagreement"

Goren's eyes flicked to Logan and back to the young man.

The silence forced him to speak more.

"Took a while for them to sort out a new bed assignment" he shrugged. "Justin offered to share so here I am"

Logan was about to speak but Goren forged on, shutting him up.

"And there were no problems between you?"

"His sneakers stunk but apart from that? No, never. Justin was a good guy. We got along and I didn't force nuts into his mouth or anything like that over smelly shoes"

"You think someone did something to Justin?"

"He was too careful for it to be an accident. If we bought any food out he always asked or read what it said. And while there are some real jerks in this place I don't think it was a stupid practical joke like some are saying"

Sensing Goren was done, Logan picked up.

"We are not certain yet what cause Justin's death but there is...you must have noticed...on his arm...those scars?"

Theo nodded "Uhuh. He tells anyone asks he fell in some barbed wire. But he once..."

There was a long pause. "I guess you'll find out anyway...Justin told me once he used to cut himself. Not at school. They would have seen. When he went home, vacation time. But he stopped about a year ago. Even had therapy about it. And I don't think he killed himself if that's what you are implying sir"

"Was he happy?" asked Logan before thinking that was a dumb question to ask a teenage boy. At that age he doubted he had the critical self awareness to really know that about himself, never mind a friend.

"Mostly. I know he often had arguments with his grandfather but then with someone like _Two Gun_ who wouldn't. And Justin said it wasn't easy always getting told how he needed to be more like his Dad. School came easy enough for him; he was liked by most people though..."

"Though what?" prompted Goren.

"Last few weeks he'd go off not saying where or be back late from places or things he said he went to...like baseball practice and then there was this business with Bolt again today"

"The history assignment?" enquired Mike.

"Yeah _Deadleg_...I mean Captain Bolt must have lost...misplaced it. I was here when Justin wrote the essay and took it across to HQ. Said after the game today he gave it to Miss Coltrane at the door to the _SCR._ But the Captain would not let Justin ask her or wait to speak to her. Just gave him the laps"

"You said _again _Theo?" said Goren. "There were other incidents with the Captain?"

"Yes...no... I don't know. Were you ever in the Army? Either of you?"

"I was"

"Then you will know it's what my Dad says...sometimes short on explanation and long on orders"

"Some days it's like that being a cop" said Logan as Goren's face suggested a memory of many incidents like that.

"Bolt caught a few guys sneaking in late after passes last month. Gave Justin almost double punishment what the rest got and that includes guys with worse records than him. Perhaps to deter him more? I dunno. Then really bawled him out when the school team lost to one of the local public schools. I didn't see that. Not on the baseball team"

They moved onto questions they had asked the others about that day before Goren said Theo could go. Logan also spotted how slowly he got up from the rather sagging bunk and the wince when he bent down. To pick up the pencil he knew Goren dropped on purpose before asking Spender to _"pick it up for me please son"._

"Theo?" said Bobby quietly. "Would you please unbutton your shirt?"

Saying nothing the young man removed his tie, unfastened the khaki shirt and opened it. His rib area was covered in green yellow bruises several days old.

"How'd you get those Theo?" asked Logan who had expected something like it.

"Gentleman's fight sir" he said. "Rather not say"

"We're the cops Mr Spender. Not Colonel Harriman and this ain't West Point" said Goren.

"It was not a fight with Justin sir"

Logan watched Goren go around behind the kid and whip up the back of his shirt before he realised what was happening. Knew from the look on his face what Bobby saw even before he spoke.

"Gentleman's fights here allow kicking do they Mr Spender?" he asked dropping the shirt. "And before you give me any of that honour code crap I've seen plenty of people beaten up in my time"

Spender took a deep breath "I screwed up on the assault course competition the other day. Few of the guys in the Battalion got a little carried away"

"And did that include Justin?" asked Mike softly. "Or did he just stand aside and watch?"

The kid broke momentarily "No it did not! Justin would not! He wasn't there. When he found out he..."

"Did what? Reported them? Took revenge for you or with you?"

"No sir" Spender looked Logan in the eye. "He rustled up some ice packs to put on and made me go to sick call the next day"

"Doctor Duvall saw this?" asked Goren.

"Sir. Sent me to the hospital for an x ray sir"

"Wait here Cadet" snapped Goren turning on his heel with a jerk of his head to Logan.

_**SVU**_

Eames watched Will Saunders and his father leave.

"Think we got it all Elliot?"

"No boss. But we know he did not kill Judy. Has three or four cops as witnesses and a police report to account for him almost until the time she died"

"John said the canvas turned up nothing new. I think we need to tackle the brother tomorrow. Find out what he says might have been bothering his sister"

"See if it might have had something to do with five hundred bucks. Want me to give them a call? Fix a time?"

Eames glanced at her watch. "No you get off to your own kids Elliot. I still have some paperwork to do before I quit"

"Rather you" he nodded returning to his desk benefitted one of the most from the air con.

_**The Hallway, Sherman Battalion**_

"You're mad Bobby" spluttered Mike.

"Am I?" hissed Goren. "You saw the state of that kid! You know he didn't get beaten like that for the reason he said. And even if he did? You think Bolt or Harriman didn't know or get to hear? Think that drunken doc reported it? Did anything?"

Logan took a pace up the hall and turned. "Maybe they did? Maybe Harriman doesn't turn a blind eye so much anymore? Any maybe, just maybe Goren you are letting your history colour your judgement"

"I'll concede that Mike. But you also saw how those slope skulls were handling Theo when they came back. His roommate is dead in very strange circumstances, a room even you admit might have been searched before we got there and we know it wasn't Theo. Then there was the business about his transfer across here...you know as well as me there was a lot of...of avoidance in what he said"

"So what is that kid Bobby? A suspect or a potential victim?"

"Does it matter?" Goren snapped. "And are you happy to walk out of here tonight? Come back in the morning and face the fact he maybe did run off next time? Or has fresh bruises or been intimidated into keeping his mouth shut about what he knows?"

"I don't know..."

"And I don't care Logan! Because whatever you say I'm filing to the effect that kid needs removal for his own safety"

Logan's teeth almost ached he was clenching them that tight to not get into a real disagreement with Goren over this. It was not that he did not see his point, but the threat to swerve by him with a report if he did not agree was going too far. It was not how you were supposed to work with a partner. Except...except he'd blindsided one or two of his own in the past. _So who was he to complain?_

"Okay Bobby. Point taken. Want me to find out if he has relatives locally or call _Children's Services_?"

"Family is from Florida so I doubt it and..."

Logan saw that fiddle with the end of his pencil and knew more was coming would have his jaw dropping.

"I...um...you know the sort of place they will put him...was thinking maybe Theo could...er...go with you?"

"What!" snorted Logan. "He could be a suspect Bobby...he's a minor...oh shit your senses really did go for a walk...what if he accuses me of...of doing something to him?"

"He strike you as that type?"

"I wouldn't know. I don't know what _that type_ is. Anymore than you do" Logan rubbed his hands over his face "You take him. You've got Caro at home. Chaperone kind of thing"

"And if she goes into labour tonight what do I do with Theo? Walk him into the delivery room with us?"

Logan would not deny he forgot about that.

"Get him to boil water. That's what happens on TV when babies come"

Goren chewed his lip "You're right Mike and I'm sorry. About the possible suspect thing. Teresa or Ron would have a fit if he stayed with either of us"

"And we should call his folks for permission. Assuming the fool kid will even leave with us"

"I did think of that but who do we know lives in Queens? Apart from you? Someone more...suitable?"

There was a brief pause.

"_Elliot Stabler"_ they said in unison.

_**To be continued...**_


	13. Chapter 13

**Tuesday 16****th**** June**

_**Logan's Apartment, Queens**_

His cell phone rang just as he stepped inside the apartment. Someone from the Borough CSU team confirming their analysis of the contents of the two bottles Goren had bagged. The one of shower soap checked out as just that. Kicking the front door shut, Mike grew slightly impatient as ingredients for the shampoo like _Propylene Glycol_ and _Benzyl Alcohol_ got listed and he almost choked at the thought of spelling _Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cylohexene Carboxaldehyde_. Never mind wondering whether it was really safe to use.

But the young woman responded to the request to keep the rest simple. When she announced it also contained all the chemicals you might find in a tree nut product. Specifically one of the hickories and most likely pecan, for which paste, syrup and oil for cooking were quite readily available. Needless to say none of them were supposed to be inside the bottle and they were running checks to see if they could identify the exact product and brand. Had even sent someone to stores in the Bayside area to see what was available for comparison.

It made sense. Of course it did. Had done from the start. You didn't swallow _"shampoo soap"_ on purpose but water diluted with it was more likely to come into contact with your mouth and go up your nose than from the product used for washing your body. Logan had never been sold on the _"suicide"_ possibility and even less so now. If he had wanted to off himself Justin could have just eaten certain types of candy bar. Not gone to the trouble of buying something he could mix in shampoo. Unless it was some complex plan Justin Toomey devised just to get attention. Some cry for help from a kid once harmed himself. If so, Goren had a better chance of working that one out. He was their resident expert at _Major Case_ and the one living with a clinical psychologist.

Getting the message _"no service available"_ he supposed Bobby might still be on the subway home. He'd insisted on being dropped off with a bunch of Justin's notebooks so Mike could avoid a trail into Manhattan and deal with delivering Theo to the Stabler home. Elliot, with whom Mike had worked briefly many years ago at the 51st , would get a real surprise when he got home to find another kid at the table. He'd got Kathy at their house, she immediately understood and offered to take the boy for the night and deliver him to school next day. Spender seemed happy, relieved even to be leaving the school and Harriman had quit his bluster and looked guilty when Goren told him about the severe beating the Cadet had gotten a few days back.

But something was not right at that place. The two seniors had lied or at least been economical with the truth and even Theo had shown either automatic or mindless _"loyalty"_ or was keeping something back for reasons of his own. Perhaps to protect his dead friend or maybe something about himself. Something perhaps Captain and Mrs Spender knew, because according to Goren, they never hesitated to agree to their son leaving the school to stay with a fellow cop and his family.

Logan pulled a six pack _(three missing)_ from the icebox, found a deep pan pizza in the freezer and tossed it in the microwave. The TV was showing the double header from St Louis. His evening was not turning out as planned but it might be worse.

_**The Stabler Family Home, Floral Park, Queens**_

After the time he'd spent with that Saunders kid that day, young Theo Spender was a welcome relief and re-assurance not all of them that age were a waste of space. In fact, when Stabler got home he assumed he must be some friend of Richard's he'd not met before. Until a hushed conversation in the kitchen put him straight, though he'd save the _"discussion"_ with Mike and Goren about the stunt they pulled to another day. Watched Theo jump up to help Kathy bring dinner to the table, offer a hand with the dishes and insist he would make up the roll out bed in Dick's room.

As he settled down for a cuddle with Elliot Junior, it even occurred to Stabler the kid could stick around. When Theo excused himself to do homework his own son followed to do the same like a little lamb. Saved him one battle tonight, with one of the kids about something.

_**Vestry Street, Soho**_

Eames had no idea how she and Jack ended up more or less naked on the sofa and the fact it wasn't even ten o'clock yet hardly mattered.

"We need a bigger couch" she grunted as she tossed one cushion and McCoy shoved the other under her ass so it didn't slip between the seats.

Cushions from her old apartment they had fought over when she moved in. The only fight now to wedge one thigh on the back of the couch so he could...

"Shit" muttered Jack as the telephone rang. "Please don't..."

"We have to...you get it"

Reaching behind her head to grab it from the side table had almost put her shoulder out.

"Urgh!" she grunted as his full weight was stretched on her to get hold of the phone and more than just one elbow and knee dug into her.

"McCoy" he snapped.

"Sorry Mr McCoy. It's Greerson from SVU. Could I..."

"I'll get her"

He handed Alex the phone, hissing _"hurry up"._

"Jack? Where are you...hello Greerson?"

She did find out where Jack was going. It wasn't far. But it did make it very difficult to concentrate on what she was being told. How they had just received a call on the number handed to the _Hudson Academy_ students. One giving a name for _"BC"_ and also revealing some very disturbing information. Eames told him to get the facts checked out. She cut the line and tossed the handset. Enjoyed for a few moments what Jack was checking out and then with her fingers in his hair indicated she was ready for the main course.

They soon worked out what recipe worked best to their mutual satisfaction.

_**St Luke's Place, Greenwich Village**_

Goren was close to praying there would not be another spat between himself and Caro that would erupt into a full blown fight. From the moment he walked through the door that evening she had snapped at him, almost seemed to goad him at times and once he was pretty sure she had done something because she knew it would hurt him. And he had tried. To make allowances for how she must be feeling in this heat and so close to giving birth.

It wasn't easy. Not because he wasn't well informed, indeed his voracious reading on everything at all stages had alternately made her laugh and get mad once or twice. But giving him those reality checks and sense of proportion in a kindly way. _But how could he even begin to truly appreciate what it was like for her?_

And it did not help him that Caro had never been _"moody"_ and _"hormonal"_ or whatever it was with some women before she got pregnant. He'd never been good at coping with that. Those years with his mother and her mood swings and periods of mania maybe had exhausted him, limited his patience for it with other people. Caro's equanimity, never retreating into sulky distance or expecting him to work out or guess _"what's wrong"_ were some of the things he loved so much about her. If he messed up she told him, they talked, she forgave him and they moved on.

He'd expected it to be different when she was expecting but apart from one or two brief phases like the start of the second trimester, Caro had not been so much different. But since she quit work he knew she was genuinely bored some of the time and his own anxiety for her and the baby meant she had turned down some work at home might have helped. He could empathise with her discomfort and even shared some of the sleep deprivation because of her restlessness, but he would never know the physical and emotional stresses any more than he _"knew"_ how the baby kicking had felt from her side of things.

Goren guessed the fact he'd called twice to say he was going to be even later thanks to a problem on the subway had not helped. But when he had eventually located her in their bedroom, complaining that she'd set up the crib at the foot of their bed got them off to a bad start. Yes, part of his concern was about her straining her already sore back lifting it from the room would eventually become the baby's. But he'd spent a part of last weekend cleaning it up, disguising a few scratches and making sure it rocked silently. It was a Reece family crib, close to a hundred years old and had been shipped from Fort Worth where it had been in her brother's attic waiting for the next baby.

Maybe there was an accusation in his tone when he said _"I thought we were going to do that together"._ There was probably some hurt as well. That she had not let him be part of something had silly sentimental value for him. Out of spite. Because her response had been _"In case you forgot this baby is due tomorrow Rob. And you were not here. Were you?"_

He had only just stopped himself snapping at that. _"This baby"._ Like it was some alien visited on her against her will. Not _"their baby"._ One she had not hesitated to agree to when he first mentioned it and keen enough, as he recalled, when it came to the matter of conception.

As he'd wrestled himself out of a sweaty shirt the initial salvo had become a series of skirmishes. Her retreat from him tactical to avoid any explanation or further apology he might offer and served with a volley of _"There's chicken and pasta salad in the icebox"._ Let him go down to eat it alone while she stayed upstairs in the sitting room, talking on the phone to Bill and Darcy attended the same classes as them and had their baby girl last week.

Ignoring his _"I'll do that"_ as she snatched his empty plate from the counter and remarking he knew she hated him working over dinner. After so many years living on his own it was something he often did. But it was a minor habit to break and once they were living together it could often, for two busy people, be the only time they got to talk properly. He had bitten on that. Pointing out she wasn't here to talk to and not bothering to even mention the scrap of paper he found in Justin's room he was puzzling over.

He had shifted to the desk in the corner of the living room. Trying not to let her drive him crazy with what he was sure was a deliberate flicking of the TV remote.

_**Roark's Bar, Spring Street**_

She had finally plucked up courage to go inside and ask. Surprised how many people were in there, until some hoots and a crowd gathered in the corner gave her clues. Some kind of big pool game in progress and Gainsborough had at least two pool tables. One in the local bar and the other in their garage, where her brothers would play with their friends from school. Two men at the bar turned to look in her direction. The black one giving her the kind of stare made her feel he was only checking her out to be sure she wasn't some hooker or drug dealer. His friend was older, skinny and had a sort of smile for her. But with tinted lenses to his glasses it was hard to know what he was thinking.

Any idea of speaking to them was cut short as someone yelled _"Hey Finn! Munch? You're up now guys"_

They went away carrying their drinks and a thankfully maternal looking woman behind the bar came over. The sceptical look on her face vanished when she explained she didn't want to buy a drink. Just ask something. Her heart was still pounding a little when she got back out on the sidewalk.

_**Vestry Street, Soho**_

McCoy smiled a little at the realisation Al had fallen asleep. Boy he would tease her about that when she woke up. Unless, squashed on the couch, he got cramp and had to wake her first. He laid admiring her left breast and wondering briefly what this business of the dead Toomey kid might throw the DA's way. You could always rely on Danny or Dick Nichols to give you the heads up. The sort of case, because of who the grandfather was, could mean trouble with the family and the media when they got hold of it.

As his right foot began to spasm, Jack made the decision to let Ron take the first pitches on that one. Carver either had more patience or a way with him that seemed to keep the rich and influential happy. So long as they were not the suspects . And Teresa Randle was in no position to gripe. Not from Lake Tanawakkewoo or wherever the hell it was she was vacationing this year. He would wait until she came back to raise the propriety of using a holiday home belonged to a Deputy Mayor. Ask to see receipts or something for the full rental.

_**St Luke's Place, Soho**_

Goren hoped the orange juice set on the desk as he went more thoroughly through Justin's school file was something of a peace offering.

"Justin Toomey?" said Caro in a mixture of shock and sadness as she realised which kid had died up at that school in Queens to make him so late.

"Uhuh. How do you know..." his voice petered out to silence remembering what Theo said about _"therapy"._

"Was he a patient of yours sweetie?"

"Yes. Soon after I came to New York to work"

He supposed he should not have felt disappointed she did not say _"to be with you Rob"._

"Looks like anaphylaxis Caro"

He went on to quickly describe the circumstances of the death. "You know he was allergic to tree nuts?"

"Yes and I expect you...never mind"

"I saw he used to cut himself. His roommate told us he got help"

"Not of the sort that old sob the General wanted" she snorted as she stretched out her back a little. "Anyway I'm going to bed. Before you are tempted to try to get information out of me or I say something"

"Caro? You realise we might have to...and Justin is dead so the confidentiality doesn't..."

"I know the rules Rob. But it's a psych file...contains confidential information about other people. And you know that" she turned away from him. "So get it cleared by legal or get your damn subpoena. Deliver it yourself. That way I might get to see a little of you tomorrow. And don't be too long before you come to bed"

Goren knew it was not his presence beside her she wanted. Just not to be woken if she got to sleep.

He took a sip of the juice trying to convince himself it would all be fine once the baby came. He failed.

_**To be continued...**_


	14. Chapter 14

**Wednesday 17****th**** June**

_**Office Of The Captain, SVU, Manhattan**_

Even Don Cragen, who must have heard more than his share at times, raised his brows once or twice as he, Eames and ADA Novak sat listening to the tape of the anonymous call last night. From a male voice almost certainly still in his teens or from one thing he said, of college age. Greerson had asked one or two questions he had responded to and throughout he'd made it clear he didn't know a lot of details. The abrupt end perhaps because he feared the live line was being traced. It was not, but by then he had given them some useful information to follow up.

Eames had spent her time so far detailing people to do that follow up. In one important instance, with an organisation that kept regular office hours and so no-one was unavailable to speak to last evening.

"You're right Alex" said the ADA as Cragen turned off the machine. "You don't have enough to get a warrant for this...Bart Chamberlain's residence. But I expect you know that"

Whether there was some veiled reference to her domestic situation in that remark Eames did not know. She sometimes felt slightly paranoid the way she could infer or _"sense"_ things from remarks made by various of Jack's staff in the course of her working life. Except she had always found Casey Novak a bit of _"a cold fish"_ before or maybe just careful in what she said to anyone at any time. And was not about to tell Casey the only unofficial advice between her and McCoy last night had been on sexual technique and of the moaned and strictly spontaneous variety.

"Just wanted to check how far we are from the fences Casey" she replied casually. "I'm guessing we either have to identify this young man and get him on the record or get a complaint from one of the other girls he named"

"Them or their parent's" Cragen chipped in. "Though our policy, if not strictly written down, is to exercise some...discretion in the matter of statutory rape"

Eames knew that of course and Jack himself had once said while the concept of a legal age was a good one, to protect young people, it was something of a legal minefield. Two consenting underage kids could in theory at least, counter complain against each other or their respective parents could. And what came to court often relied on a mix of the cops and lawyers applying some common sense to the situation based on the relative ages of the people involved and the long term nature of their relationship. A freshman and his cheerleader sweetheart who had dated since he was High School himself would receive a very different outcome to a school teacher with the same girl, however precocious she might be.

"There's no guarantee of getting that from the parents" said Novak not very helpfully. "Not when they realise this could be tied in to a murder and what could become a very public trial. To say nothing of what the press could make of it"

"If we get Chamberlain on the killing Casey, I'm sure you could then forget any other charges or at least...um...prioritise them"

Novak's face cracked for a moment "I can almost hear Ron Carver saying that myself"

Eames would not deny the time in _Major Case_ working with the smart and sometimes very slick _Executive ADA_ had stood her in good stead.

_**Squad Room, Major Case**_

By the time he left that morning a _"ceasefire"_ if not a total truce had been unofficially declared between Goren and Caro. In that they were not saying or doing things to deliberately annoy each other. Even got a smile and a kiss on the cheek as he left. Because Caro had slipped into the pocket of his jacket the pager only she had the number for and which he had acquired four days after they discovered she was pregnant. Had become second nature to pick that up along with all the other _"junk"_ she claimed he distributed about his person. And which contributed to the wearing of the pockets of his clothes and jacket linings. The lightweight almost silver grey the latest to have undergone repair and replacement thanks to phone, cuffs, gun, badge and the rest in addition to what all men carried.

As he skimmed the report from the Queen's ME, Logan was checking in with Kathy Stabler how Theo had been and that she had delivered him happy enough to school this morning. It came as neither surprise nor satisfaction to discover the cause of death was as expected. Heart failure due to anaphylactic shock induced by consumption of a tree nut product. The medic finding the stomach more or less empty which tied in with when Justin ate breakfast and the couple of orange slices still in evidence he was seen to eat during the baseball game. There was also a substance consistent with highly diluted shampoo in the stomach and traces in his nasal passages matched the contents of the bottle found to have some type of pecan based product added to it. The absence of prints apart from one partial matched the Toomey boy not surprising. Anyone who _"tampered"_ with it probably used gloves and even if they didn't, the hot soapy water on the floor to the shower would have probably removed them.

_Of some relief to both Goren and Logan?_ The fact there was no trace of any old fractures or sub dermal bruising might indicate Justin had also been physically bullied at the school, nor of sexual assault ruled out one possible motive to render him unable to resist or at least unconscious by devious means. The bump on the head was just that and occurred peri-mortem. In other words Justin hit his head on the tiles as he fell into unconsciousness or slipped during the spasms of choking breathlessness as his throat closed up.

"You want to push Theo harder today?" asked Logan between filling out some forms

"Let's leave him until last...if that's..."

"Sure" Mike cut in. "I don't see him as a serious suspect anyway. See what we can get from speaking to all the staff? And maybe the kids in _Sherman o_r his class?"

Goren nodded.

"You get anywhere with those numbers last night?" teased Mike.

Goren was not about to sound like he was complaining how late he got home or _"share"_ his domestic distractions.

"No. Either of your brothers a Math genius? Available for a consult?"

Mike laughed at that reference "I doubt one of them can balance his cheque book or get his tax return straight"

"I...er...I did discover a little more about Justin...um...where he had his therapy"

Logan looked up and for a moment said nothing.

Finally he said _"Caro?"_

Told you he worked it out and that the Logan intuition divined that getting access to that file or information could be more than just officially awkward for Bobby.

"I...um... I would like to..."

"Go ahead Bobby" Mike waved in the direction of the Captain's office. "And something else? I guess we'll be tied up in Queens most of the day, but if you want I'll speak to her"

"Thanks Mike"

There was a good and sensitive soul underneath all that joking bravado. Something Goren knew he sometimes lost sight of or sensitivity to in himself. When the desire to solve the puzzle got the better of him and his social skills deserted him. Had a few times _"broken down" _or antagonised witnesses he might have been a little more kind to and still achieved the same ends.

_**The Performing Arts Suite, Hudson Academy**_

Eames had decided to cut to the chase or rather the person who seemed to be central to this business with _"BC"_ now identified as Bart Chamberlain. Two theatrical unions had confirmed that was the stage name of one _"Henry Smith"_ originally from Sacramento, California. And it explained why he had not shown up on the _Lime Juice_ records where for tax compliance and other reasons, he was listed by his legal one.

On one side of the table sat Summer Peterson and her parents. The _Chanel_ basted Mrs Eckberg, still resenting being called from the beauty salon to attend the interview and Mr Eckberg, fresh from his desk in Wall Street. Husband three and step-father two as far as Summer was concerned. Beside her, Elliot, also in no mood for this child to continue to jerk them around.

"You knew Henry Smith's stage name was Bart Chamberlain" said Elliot not asking the question. "You knew we were trying to identify a man with those initials and I assume you know the alphabet. If not, your folks wasted a lot of money sending you to this school"

Eames cut in to stop any further _"blue collar resentment"_ from Stabler. "You also lied and wasted police time by telling Detective Tutuola you thought it might be someone connected with Mrs Whiteman's work"

That was not true. When Finn described that as _"a pile from the Park"_ they had not pursued that angle.

"That was very silly of you Summer" said Mrs Eckberg.

"It's more than that ma'am" Eames went on. "We have information says your daughter had sex with this man. A twenty eight year old performer...though he met your daughter in his capacity as a teacher at _Lime Juice_"

The minx was not so dumb. "You mean a witness? Even if I did, I don't think I would have with someone else in the room"

"Did you or did you not?" snapped Elliot.

"Yeah...sure. So what?"

"So what?" erupted the step-father. "Tell the stupid girl Lieutenant Eames"

"You heard of statutory rape?"

"Yeah but it wasn't rape. And I'm not saying it was"

"You don't have to" said Elliot. "You just told us an act of sexual intercourse took place. We can now arrest Mr Smith aka Chamberlain"

"Don't be ridiculous" said Mrs Eckberg. "You can't expect my daughter to testify to that? In open court? I won't allow it"

"And I take it back. It never happened" sneered Summer. "You prove it"

"You behave yourself Summer" said Mr Eckberg. "Try listening for a change. Both of you. I don't think they finished yet"

"We didn't" said Eames. "Ever heard of _"pandering"_ Miss Peterson?"

"No"

"It's a very old word. It means _to intrigue in love_ but it also has a more sinister meaning. To _procure_ and in a legal sense, that is what a pimp does. He procures by facilitating, encouraging and making possible acts of prostitution" Eames paused.

"I'm not saying money changed hands but we have information to suggest you intrigued, you facilitated and even encouraged sexual acts between other girls and Henry Smith. Your supposed friends at school or the dance classes"

"This is monstrous!"

Mrs Eckberg leapt to her _Jimmy Choo_ clad feet.

"Sit down Susan" said her husband "Can you prove this?"

"We will" Stabler folded his arms. "We have names. Other girls and their parents we can interview. Then there's every other girl Summer knows. Of course they will want to know why we want to speak to them. One of them will tell us and what part Summer might have played in what happened. I doubt she or you will stay on their Christmas card list of course"

Summer Petersen was holding back tears by then. Probably not for what she had done, but at the prospect of social ostracism.

It did not take much longer to get the Eckberg's to agree to Summer going on the record with all she knew. In exchange for the _"possible consideration"_ by the DA of not pursuing charges could land Summer in court as a witness. Eames knew that would not sit easy with Stabler but she had a suspicion Henry Smith/Bart Chamberlain might have more than statutory rape to worry about.

The young man who called the Unit, whoever he was, implied he had saved his younger sister from Summer's encouragement to _"try it"_ with Smith. An overheard conversation at home but he swore to the names of three other girls including Judy and Summer's close buddy, Tory Daniels. Even said the boys at Hudson more or less knew which of them had been with the guy. Knew _"stuff" _and would do things other girl's did not and that this Bart's sexual experience was the apparent lure for the girls.

It was sordid to say the least. But Eames knew that when she took the job at SVU.

_**Office Of The Captain, Major Case Squad.**_

Danny Ross watched Goren and Logan leave with two young detectives hurrying in their wake. Whatever his reservations about that pairing there had been no problems so far and the Toomey family situation probably helped with that. _Two Gun_ was over in Iraq as part of some morale boosting group of low profile politicians and minor celebrities. He could not help but think _"potential targets"_ might be a better description. But it meant it would be a few days before the military got him back Stateside and meanwhile they were to deal with Miles Rosberg. Not the legal pit bull he had the reputation of being on this occasion.

Not according to Dick Nichols got it from a Deputy Chief, got it from the Chief. Rosberg rarely spoke to anyone below that level at _1PP_, unless it was to threaten them with _"having your badge officer"._ And Ross was happy to be well insulated this time. The brief conversation with Bobby had been semi confidential at the two way level. His Detective, naturally concerned about too much legal aggravation descending on his lover on the day their baby was due. His concerns about that, if not the impending _"arrival"_ assuaged by the promise by Ross to go via Ron Carver and if necessary speak with Caro himself.

And what he told Goren he could convey to Logan, concerned Mrs Deirdre Toomey. The general's long time and long suffering wife if rumours of his regular infidelity when he was younger were true. Rumours, like all dirty linen only got washed in public by his opponents when he ran briefly for the nomination last time. At which time there had been others, vehemently denied and law suits threatened. Ones that it seemed were true. That the rarely seen and very reserved Mrs Toomey was indeed suffering the Alzheimer's that had been heavily hinted at by a newspaper during the short campaign. Now spent a lot of her time either at home on Long Island with a regiment of carer's and occasionally went to a respite centre up-state. And, needless to say she was not to be approached or bothered by anything to do with Justin's death.

Everything was to be referred to Rosberg and let him decide what role Justin's uncle should play or his mother, long since out of the kid's life.

Ross reached for his phone and pressed the speed dial for the Exec ADA's office.

_**To be continued...**_


	15. Chapter 15

**Wednesday 17****th**** June**

_**The Art Room, Washington School**_

When they arrived followed by Cindy McAllister and Paul Jackson, the two latest in a line of prospects from the precincts, Logan had parked the SUV at the front of the building. Aiming to _"tweak"_ Harriman who they gathered was close to neurotic on the matter. It was only a partial success because _"The Commandant"_ was in the middle of marching his adolescent _"Regiment"_ out to the baseball field for the latest in the series of games intended as fun for the fast approaching end of semester. Apart from the players, every cadet was expected to attend as well as staff, though they were apparently _"excused"_ on some kind of roster basis to permit them to write reports and do the other work the end of the school year brought with it.

Andrea Coltrane was unique amongst the teaching staff at the school. She was the only woman and the only one not to have served time in the military. She was also, to Logan's not inexperienced eye in these matters, a stunning mixed race lady. As she told him and Jackson she had not attended the game yesterday, Mike was enjoying the view of her legs as she sorted through some student work, placing some in a portfolio.

"These were Justin's" she said by way of explanation. "I thought perhaps his mother or someone in the family might like them"

"He any good?" asked Jackson looking at a couple.

"Very. Not a lot of individuality....a particular style...or great colour sense but as you see very good draughtsmanship and accuracy. Would have made a good graphic artist"

"Is that what he really wanted to do?" enquired the younger man.

"Yes" replied Miss Coltrane. "Though he had not told Lamont or Harriman or the rest of the staff here. For them there's only one thing a guy like Justin should aspire to and hope to die a hero"

There was some barely disguised derision in her tone. "I guess he trusted me to tell me"

Logan decided her face made up for the less than generous breasts and asked "Do you know if the family knew?"

"No idea Detective"

"Did you watch the game yesterday Andrea?"

"No though I doubt I shall manage to duck the one tomorrow" she smiled. "I was in the SCR writing reports. Kyle Mason, the chem teacher can vouch for me. After that I came back over here. Taught the ninth grade for a shortened last period before lunch and then duly escorted them across to the main building. Went to the bathroom and then into the dining hall"

"I guess someone like you would be spotted quite easily by the students if you went near the gymnasium"

"I expect so Detective Logan" she replied her eyes not leaving his.

"_Damn it!"_ thought Logan knowing he had to make her mad and ask the question.

"Was your relationship with Justin purely professional?"

"Yes" the young woman replied coolly. "It was. As it is with all my students. I'm rather particular about the age of the men I date Detective"

Over her shoulder Mike saw Jackson grin. It confirmed his suspicion that in that remark she was also dismissing his mild flirting because he was _"too old"._

_**Room 26, Washington School**_

All the rooms on the second floor of the original building were now classrooms of one sort or other, but various phases of building and refurbishment had left it something of a warren to locate a particular one. It did not match Goren's sense of the orderly and he was not thrilled to have Cindy McAllister with him. He had nothing against the lady. She had only been with _Major Case_ a month, so apart from casual _"water cooler"_ remarks he hardly knew her. Had not heard any of the regulars who had worked with her so far complaining, but he would have preferred someone he knew better with him. Someone with a finely tuned lie detector and one who might pick up his own body language during an interview.

Except, with so many people to get through this morning with quite detailed interviews, there was no way he and Mike could have remained together. Goren had asked her to deal with the basic stuff about Lamont's movements and those he saw of other people last morning. He made notes and spent a lot of time by the window. Noting that it afforded an excellent view of the field and the gym.

"Are you French by birth Lieutenant Lamont?" Goren asked cutting across Cindy's question was very tangential. "The name? Slight hint of accent?"

"Belgian" Justin's battalion commander said with a smile. "Unusually, it is my mother who was in the Army. Stationed with NATO in Brussels when she met my father. I spent my first five years there, went to a local kindergarten there. Still speak French with Papa at home and quite often return to see family"

McAllister failed to pick up on the fact Goren wanted to follow a more indirect route through their plan and ploughed on.

"After the game did you see anyone approach the gym Lieutenant?"

"No Detective...wait a moment...yes...yes I did. Captain Bolt. I saw him from the window"

"From the dining room?" she prompted as Goren could have screamed. "When he went looking for the Toomey boy?"

"No" mused Lamont "It must have been from here. After the game I had a senior class...Liddle who sits there asked...he asked for some help. As I went to him I stopped to open the window a little more...you can tell how airless it gets in here. That's it. That's when I saw Captain Bolt. Must have been just before noon"

"And you are sure it was him?" asked McAllister.

"He limps quite noticeably" muttered Goren who realised she could not know that. "Did you see him get to the gym?"

"No I did not" replied Lamont with an expression he would have preferred to say nothing after all.

As he took over and moved Lamont to the matter of Justin's recent demeanour, Goren was certain he was being evasive on the matter of any _"romantic interests"_ in Toomey's life. As his battalion leader and with a small suite of rooms in the block, he of anyone should have picked up either fact or at best, gossip. And when he mentioned Theo Spender, the relationship between the two boys and the beating there was subtle contempt. Carefully chosen phrases and nothing specific to indicate a problem between the room-mates. But Goren was left with one suspicion and one outright lie.

The suspicion? That Lamont had tried to steer him towards the notion Spender was somehow involved, perhaps to compensate for having raised doubts about Captain Bolt's itinerary after the game. And that the Lieutenant lied outright about the reasons for the beating of Theo Spender.

The good thing was Cindy McAllister saw that too. The bad thing, that Goren almost had to shove her out of the room to stop her asking further on those issues. He would prefer to wait until he had more information from other sources he told her as they went to locate the English Room.

_**East 36**__**th**__** Street**_

Henry Smith/ Brad Chamberlain lived almost next door to _"Sniffen Court"._ A small and picturesque group of houses dating back to the 1850's almost swamped by less tranquil modernity. His apartment in a small co-op was still registered to his father for property tax purposes and a call to the Sacramento cops had identified Smith Senior. He had been a computer science tutor at NYU before getting a _"great idea"_ and moving west to become one of the beneficiaries of the computer age. Made a modest fortune by _"dot com"_ standards and was apparently known these days for one of that plethora of idiotic social networking sites. _Idiotic _according to Stabler, because he worried about the time the twins spent using one and worrying just what they were saying and to whom.

He was beside Eames along with Finn, as she clutched in her hand two warrants easily obtained in the end. There was quite a pause before the door was opened and perhaps not surprising when you knew Henry/Brad was currently in a very _"off Broadway"_ review show did not begin until after the regular theatres emptied of customers.

As it opened with a yawned _"what do you want?"_ the guy found himself looking down the barrel of Stabler's gun. And was then spun around none too gently to the wall while Finn read him his rights, cuffed him and informed him he was under arrest for _"statutory rape"_ and that they had a search warrant. Eames followed them in, remarking to Elliot he could probably put his gun away. Apart from a very brief pair of briefs, Smith was only wearing an elastic bandage on his right ankle. Might also account for why he was slow to the door.

"This is all bullshit" he grunted as Tutuola spun him back to face the room.

"No need to pat him down guys" shrugged Eames. "I don't think he's armed with a dangerous weapon"

"_Men should really only wear those things if they have something to pack them with"_ Alex thought as she gestured two CSU technicians, including Jill Quinell into the apartment.

"This is a mistake" protested Smith. "I did not rape anyone"

"Don't know much about the law do you Mr Smith?" said Elliot pulling on gloves of his own.

"We've been speaking to a friend of yours this morning. Summer Petersen? We have a statement from her. How you and she are occasional bed buddies?" Eames said waving some paper in his direction.

There was a pause before he said "I want my lawyer"

"Now there's a surprise boss" growled Finn.

"Isn't it just. Tell us where to find his number. Sure we'll find plenty to occupy us in the meantime. Starting with something more for you to wear"

_**East 51**__**st**__** Street**_

John Munch had gone to keep the appointment arranged at the Whiteman/Morley home to speak with Adam. Had gone with Dani Beck. Needless to say they spent some minutes updating the parents on the progress of the case and especially the father. He and Judy's mother were at least civil to each other and they had gathered he was staying in a hotel, not the guest room. A decision Munch suspected was made by his ex or his current wife, given the loathing and mistrust between them, though not necessarily the best situation to help to their remaining child. There was some brief debate about whether either of them should be present during the _"interview"._

To get their full co-operation Munch had to tell them it was a reference in Judy's diary they wanted to discuss with Adam and he suggested to Mrs Whiteman perhaps it was a situation best suited for a father, if it were to be either of them. But when it came to the housekeeper going to get him, minor hell broke loose. Adam was not in his room. The five of them quickly scoured the house top to bottom and checked the small leafy yard.

Munch left the parents resorting to type and fighting. While Dani and the housekeeper checked his closet. In the hallway, he called first to the local precinct to get patrol cars looking and any re-enforcements they could offer to find Adam. His second call, made with some trepidation, was to his Lieutenant. She took it very well in the circumstances. At least didn't try to blame or accuse them of screwing up.

"Shut up the both of you!" John yelled at the two adults. "I need one of you to start calling his friends he might have gone to. You please sir, since you don't know the city. And you ma'am? What places does like Adam like to go? To play soccer or skateboard?"

His instincts were all telling him the kid just got scared and made a panicked and ill planned escape. A get away from some questions he did not want to answer. At least that's all Munch hoped it was as the mother found a book listed important or useful numbers.

_**To be continued...**_


	16. Chapter 16

**Wednesday 17****th**** June**

_**Office Of The Executive ADA**_

Ron Carver swivelled in his chair and brought his silk shirted elbows to rest on the desk.

"...and if Rosberg is not causing problems...yes I take your point Harvey...so can I expect..."

He took off his spectacles, placed them on the blotter and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Harvey Banks was the _Chief Legal Officer of Bellevue Hospital_. Where the records of Justin were held. The records which related to the time he was receiving therapy from Doctor Caroline Reece. He had dealt with the man many times and had the shoe been on the other foot, would no doubt be as equally defensive on behalf of patients and their families. Though lawyer to lawyer they both knew it was the backs of Bellevue's Trustees he was really protecting.

"No I don't think we need to see the actual files if Caro Reece...I see...yes I expect she does...whether that will be enough for her...I could send over a courier and...uhuh...yes I expect she would. So fax those over here and I'll...yes I do know that Harvey...I know her socially...yeah because of him...do you want to send someone over to The Village? Up to you...and I can expect...yes thanks Harvey...I will and to Monica"

Carver put down the phone, got up and opened the door to warn his clerk some papers were on their way. He returned to his desk and found the home number for Bobby and Caro.

_**East 36**__**th**__** Street**_

With Smith/Chamberlain going to say nothing _"without benefit of counsel"_ Eames had sent him back to the Unit to await either the return of herself or Stabler. It made for an extra pair of hands to search the apartment which had turned up zip so far. Unless you counted his day book contained numbers which tallied with those of several of the girls from _Hudson Academy_. For all they knew other girls of a similar age and he or his lawyer would no doubt have a plausible explanation for why he had them and so many of them. But beside most of the obviously female names in the book were a series of letters, numbers and symbols.

And Eames was not disagreeing with Finn's judgement it was some kind of personal scorecard or record. Of physical characteristics and the nature of the sexual encounters the creep had with them. Beside Judy's name was a _"V"_ and having read her diary it did not take a genius to work out what that stood for. Finn had an idea what the _"T"_ in front of it might mean, but he avoided making any suggestions to Alex. Nor was it an offense to have a pharmacy quantity of condoms stored in the bedroom.

"This is weird" said Elliot as he and Tutuola reached the last of the three bedrooms.

"Nah" said Finn stepping inside "It's just done out like a studio"

Eames would not argue with that. One wall was just mirrors and the floor bare, varnished wood. A rail with a similar finish was fixed to one side and there were a couple of foam mats for exercise folded in one corner. The only other content was a tall but narrow closet in one corner. Made of metal it was more like the file kind and giving up on locating keys, Finn stood aside. Stabler and a pair of bolt cutters dealt easily with the padlock as the doors swung open.

Inside was a large quantity of electronic equipment. One part of which looked like a music deck and fit with cables coming from the rear and leading to two speakers Eames suddenly spotted high up near the ceiling.

Tutuola's gloved hand removed a digital recording camera set on a tripod.

"Narcissist" muttered Stabler.

Eames doubted the idea of being a dancer ever crossed Elliot's mind as a life ambition.

"What's the rest Finn?"

Leave it to the boys to identify the toys she figured. _What was it with men and things like VCR's anyway? And why did they never read the instructions?_

"These are two machines...for copying" muttered Finn as he felt behind them to check the way they were connected.

"Perhaps he sends out CD's of himself?" mused Stabler. "To agents and so on"

Eames watched him open a top of the range laptop, switch it on and begin to search various material on it. From where she was she saw the screen fill with tiny images.

"Shit" murmured Stabler as he peered to see and then clicked on one.

One which showed Smith very clearly. Grinning at the lens as he did it _"doggy style"_ with a girl very like Summer Petersen.

"Jill" called Eames. "We need pictures in here please"

"And of this" grunted Tutuola as he pushed the decks to one side to reveal a second, larger camera. One whose lens was pointing to the back of the cupboard.

His penlight illustrated for Eames, the hole cut in the back and in the wall beyond. The other side of which was Smith's own bedroom.

_**The Bursar's Office, Washington School**_

Mr Harold Grunwald was a small, bespectacled man in a stiff white collar who appeared to have been at the school since Eisenhower was in the White House. His small room seemed to act as repository for numerous files went to the ceiling on dark wood shelves and every item on the desk seemed to have been placed after measurement and reference to some plan. As he explained his activities yesterday morning from feeding the cat to taking his place at the dining table Goren tested that theory. _"Accidentally"_ brushed against the blotter to move its position. Grunwald almost ran him down in his haste to move it back a quarter of an inch.

_Though who was he to think it strange, when he got tetchy because Mike moved something on his desk and did not put it back right?_

Grunwald even produced a clipboard on which he had made a _"to do"_ list for yesterday which consisted primarily of making travel arrangements for _"The Regiment"_ when school broke up next week and confirming with people like _Children's Services_ which of their charges would be remaining and which going to group homes or foster parents for the summer. He even noted the time of every phone call. Goren did not seriously consider him a suspect and he was not much use as a witness with an office over looked _"The Parade Ground"._ Supposed if he was inclined to check, the phone log would show Harold speaking to a bus company just before noon, their best estimate of when Justin would have been in the shower.

With his single status and fussy attention to precision it crossed Goren's mind as Grunwald rambled on, that he could have ended up like this himself. Alone, growing more obsessive about controlling his environment and space. Not sharing it with a cat of course and probably not turning into the sort of gossip Harold Grunwald was. Except what he was saying, whilst all the time urging them never to reveal it came from him, confirmed something they had been told quite boldly by the English teacher and was heavily hinted at by one of the kitchen assistants when he and Cindy went there for the promised mid morning refreshments.

_**Sheridan Battalion, Washington School**_

Logan and Jackson had gone to the block housed the rooms of a third of the school to speak with Kyle Mason, the Chemistry teacher and the _"Officer In Charge". _He was Andrea Coltrane's alibi witness for the relevant part of Tuesday morning, she was his in return and Mike could see no reason why they might conspire to kill Justin Toomey. But when it came to the matter of the last few weeks of his life, Mason was more open than other staff they had spoken to.

More or less accused Bolt of _"picking on"_ Justin and snorted derisively about the silence of others.

"I wasn't the only one who noticed it, several of the staff did but of course no-one did anything much about it"

"Why not?" asked Jackson

"He's the Deputy Commandant?" shrugged Mason. "He can be a bad tempered bastard? He's Harriman's right hand? He really runs this place? Take your pick detective. Actually someone did get up the nerve speak to him. Phil Lamont. He's..."

"Runs Sherman?"

"Sure you would...anyway if anyone would have picked up on it through reports and other things, its Phil. Perhaps Toomey went to him. I don't know. I just know that after a faculty meeting two weeks ago, they had a shouting match about Toomey as the meeting was breaking up. Could hear Phil from the hallway saying Len was being unfair and asking what his problem was with Justin"

"Did you hear what it was? What Bolt said in reply?"

"No. Len is bad tempered but he never raises his voice. If he said, I never heard"

"Nothing to do with some girl he might have been seeing? Getting back late?"

"Like I said I don't know. This may be an environment drowning in its own testosterone Detective Logan but boys gossip as much as girls. If there was someone at the root of the problem, it was only Bolt seemed to have one about it and it's one of the Cadets who can answer that for you"

A couple of minutes later Logan and Jackson were fighting their way between the melee of students come back to wash up for lunch. It was there he overheard a conversation between two of them that might be the answer. Or at least a clue.

_**East 36**__**th**__** Street**_

Eames had declined Stabler's suggestion she get on Smith's bed so they could properly test the position of the camera in the next room. Made him do it and was about to suggest he got on his knees and suck his forefinger lasciviously, when her cell rang. She was expecting it to be Munch with the news Adam Morley had been found or the canine unit that had been sent for had arrived.

It turned out to be Captain Cragen. The information he relayed a lucky, but important break in the case. A bag matching that Judy Morley was last seen with had turned up in The Bronx. In the possession of a homeless but harmless lady who had told the local officers knew her well not just where she found it, but what else she saw. There was only a very small chance it was an identical bag. It was made by a company called _"Lakeland"_ in the UK and they had never exported any of that type beyond the island's shores. And the witness had also seen items in the same dumpster matched Judy's dance clothes, though they were long gone with the local trash collection yesterday.

While Cragen juggled the legal niceties with the local precinct, Eames paused for a few moments outside Smith's residence. Stepping out of the way of CSU beginning to remove boxes of evidence including all his financial records. It was one of those occasions they warned you about when you were preparing for promotion. How one of the hardest things was _"letting go"._ Accepting you could no longer be at the cutting edge of every investigation, on every scene, doing every interview. Especially not in a case like this seemed to be leading in more than just opposite compass directions. The time you had to utilise the resources you had available to you and trust the good Detectives under your command.

She had two with her but it was Finn drove her Mercury away and heading for The Bronx. Left her hands free to call John.

_**To be continued...**_


	17. Chapter 17

**Wednesday 17****th**** June**

_**St Luke's Place, Greenwich Village**_

As she opened the basement door to them, Danny Ross saw how Caro smiled at Ron Carver and the way she turned the mass of her belly slightly to the side so he could more easily kiss her cheek. With him she was more formal as she invited them into the large open living space. Ross had no idea what to expect. He had never been invited here. Probably because he and Goren were alike in mostly keeping _"work"_ and _"social"_ circles quite separate. He knew of course Alex Eames and through her, Jack McCoy, would be considered friends, but he had no idea as they went onto the shade of the terrace the Carver's were occasional visitors. Enough from some conversation they were having about a climbing rose to know it was a housewarming gift from the _Exec ADA_ and for Ron to know which of the high gloss white doors in the kitchen hid the icebox.

From which he retrieved a couple of jugs to add to a tray on the counter. While Ross made a useless attempt to help Caro Reece to the small black table. It held a laptop he guessed she had been using to re-acquaint herself, if she needed to, with Justin's case. It was he who handed her the documents faxed from _Bellevue _and Ross rather admired the way she read them in the shade from the large beach umbrella. Caro was either very careful or sensible as she signed one and handed it back whilst retaining the other. Or, and being what she was, she took the chance to ensure the discussion began when it suited her and get the minor psychological upper hand herself.

Danny Ross never imagined for one moment Ron Carver would badger the lady or go beyond the remit of the letter of authorisation he gave her. She was too smart for that as he well knew from a few brief social encounters with her himself. But he had promised Goren that he would personally ensure she was not upset today of all days.

"Fire away then" she invited them pouring the drinks they asked for.

"How much do you know about this case?" asked Ron.

"I know who, when and how and I know suicide will have crossed Rob's mind when he saw the scars on Justin's arm. And I know he knows enough to think the place, time and method very...unusual. Unlikely even"

"So you agree on that?"

"Yes Danny. But that alone does not rule it out. Which is why you are here. Was Justin suicidal? In my professional opinion? No. Not when I saw him last. Just before Christmas last year. And I think if things had got that difficult since he would have contacted me. Could it have been an attention seeking cry for help went badly wrong? I don't think so. Attention or more of it, was the last thing that kid needed. I'll leave it to Mike and Rob to decide what jives at the scene to support that. Or otherwise"

"Attention from his grandfather I'm guessing"

Her dark eyes flickered over Ross and she smiled.

"Mostly. And of course when you are _Two Gun's_ grandson, a man still living on his past glories and in political office, there's a certain amount of media attention goes with that. Ask the Bush twins or any of the Kennedy kids. Put a foot out of line like millions of others and suddenly there is a national moral panic. Not easy being subjected to that when Justin was. Approaching his teens and then entering puberty when the old man had a run at the nomination. Hauled out of school like a prize poodle for show and then sent back"

"I suppose the revelation about The General doing dope, the women and then the stories about Deirdre didn't help him?"

"Justin already knew about his grandmother and as for the rest? He rather enjoyed it Ron. In a mildly sadistic way. Who doesn't when a pompous moraliser gets caught out? But seriously? I think it was a relief to Justin. Not just because _Two Gun_ withdrawing got him out of the limelight but because he didn't have apparent perfection to live up to anymore"

"Is that why he cut himself?" asked Carver topping up their glasses.

"One reason. It was a sort of punishment Justin inflicted on himself if he felt he had screwed up. But mostly it was about control. It was something he could do to himself when he chose. Not what other people wanted him to do when they wanted him to do it. It's a similar psychological release for some anorexics who come from high expectation and controlling family situations. Their bodies are one of the few things they can exert any...any power over. And in Justin's case of course, he was getting that in spades from his school environment as well"

"What's the deal with his mother?" asked Ross.

"Is this relevant?"

Carver looked across at him "Probably not. Something you have to decide"

"His relationship with her is more like that of an aunt and he'd dealt with a lot of that before I ever saw him"

"According to Rosberg, the lawyer, the General has all parental control and rights. Her choice"

Caro laughed a short laugh. "Not really. There was a very quiet but quite bitter fight when Justin was nine. You know he was born two days before his father was shipped out to Kuwait? That Captain Toomey died a day before the land offensive was halted? Trying to save some civilians trapped by enemy fire"

"Think so" said Ron.

"Sheesh" breathed Ross "See what you mean about all he was expected to live up to. The pressure on him"

He sensed her looking at him and frowned "Did I say something..."

"No Danny" she smiled. "I was just thinking perhaps I could convert you to the _dark side_ after all"

Ross knew what she meant. All that psychological _"mumbo jumbo_" he'd once called it during one his fairly regular _"debates"_ with Goren. They came from different backgrounds, experiences and approaches. Something which was not a bad thing, might have made them a good team to be honest but it worked less well when one of you told the other what to do and the other could be a stubborn, tunnel-vision sob at times. But at that moment Ross understood something about Goren. Why he loved this woman. It would take longer for him to work out why she loved Goren and why she was sitting here with a belly she reckoned was the _"size of Saturn"_ on his account.

"Why did Justin come into therapy?" asked Ron

"Wondered how long it would take one of you to ask that question"

Captain Ross wasn't sure that might not have been the moment he'd fallen a little in love with her himself. It had certainly crossed his mind once or twice when he met her, he'd not kick Caro Reece out of bed based on her looks.

"_Two Gun_ sent him" she shrugged. "Last summer was a turning point for Justin. Time and maturity does a lot but he'd...what we would call _resolved _certain psychological conflicts. But when he told his grandfather that's when the trouble started. Not wanting to join the Army? To want to be a graphic artist or maybe an architect? Obviously the kid had lost his mind and why he landed on my doorstep"

"He expected you...to...somehow..."

Caro rubbed her belly "I think I was a severe disappointment to the General. Threatened to get my license taken away or some such crap"

"Because the boy wanted to design candy bar wrappers?" snorted Ross.

"That wasn't the real problem Danny"

"_**The Parade Ground", Washington School**_

Goren and Logan watched the two junior officers depart down the drive to return to other duties.

"Do you want to tackle any of the senior boys Mike?"

Logan shook his head "No I think we got enough of the picture. Seems Mrs Harriman might the source of all knowledge. But before we go see her is there anything I should know?"

"About what?"

"About how you pissed her off at Fort Sam"

"Never met the woman" shrugged Goren as they headed down the drive in their shirtsleeves.

Over lunch once again served them in the library, they had all four exchanged important findings. Apart from the apparent report of Bolt being seen heading for the gym there were not that many. And Jackson had suggested, not unreasonably, maybe that was a lie since no-one else mentioned it. Why Phil Lamont would lie who could say and even Goren, not averse to bizarre theories, had almost chocked on his orange juice when Paul offered another possibility. That it was someone else, limping on purpose so they might be mistaken for Captain Bolt. To him all the guys in uniform were indistinguishable from one another and Goren did have to concede that with the distance and with a cap on, the rank bars and face would have been almost impossible to spot. Hobble like Bolt and maybe you could be mistaken for him on a quick and distracted glance.

But the critical piece of information they had determined through hint, one outright statement and one nickname, was that more than one person thought Justin Toomey's relationship with Captain Mrs Bolt very close and not _"appropriate"._ Even if untrue, just a rumour, it might explain Bolt's recent problems with the kid and Justin's change of habit and evasiveness at times as reported by Theo.

As they turned onto the lane led off from the drive to a line of six _"cottages"_ where some of the married staff lived, they met Harriman coming the other way.

"Where are you going?" he demanded to know.

"This whole campus is potentially a crime scene Major" said Logan quickly and in an attempt to be polite.

"That doesn't answer my question"

"Right now? To the residences" explained Goren. "Everyone is a potential witness. Including the faculty wives"

"You're really enjoying this aren't you Goren?"

"As a matter of fact? No I'm not"

"Oh whatever I say you'll _do what you have to do_ won't you?"

"Yes. We will"

With that Harriman walked away.

A few feet from the corner they came under the shade of the woodland housed the assault course and bounded one side of the field.

"So what was that all about...do what you...you need?" asked Logan

"_Do what you have to do"_ corrected Goren. "It's the motto of CID"

"Oh"

Logan enjoyed the shade and gave idle thought to what Mrs Bolt might be like. Or rather _"The Tennessee Tart"_ as it seemed some of the cadets had dubbed her.

_**To be continued...**_


	18. Chapter 18

**Wednesday 17****th**** June**

**Monterey Avenue, West Tremont, The Bronx**

The hallway of the shabby apartment block was not the worst she ever saw but it was not the best either. Eames waited outside Number 4b, her gun at her side, with the two local cops. They had done a good job to find Judy Morley's backpack so they might as well be part of the next stage. They also knew the occupant inside quite well and the fact loud music was booming gave them excuse to call on Sheri Delgardo. But they waited before knocking to give Tutuola time to get into position. The dirty window at the end of the hall gave out onto a fire escape. One they knew the platform of extended across to the apartment. As soon as he was through the window, back against the building so he should not be seen and gun drawn, the uniforms began to hammer for Sheri to open the door.

It probably was an illegal entry but the oldest of the team did not push a pregnant Sheri aside to get into the main room and she was giving as good as she got as there was a certain amount of hollering on both sides. Eames stepped through and over another small child, naked and crawling round the less than clean floor. In time to see Finn _"assisting"_ a skinny Hispanic back through the casement from which he'd tried, unsuccessfully to make an escape.

"Hey what's your problem man?" he complained as Tutuola helped him the rest of the way to the floor and the other uniformed cop patted him down.

"Be quiet!" Eames snapped at the protesting Sheri as she switched off the CD player and saw another child under five playing in an overcrowded bedroom.

According to the uniforms Sheri was on the fringes of the local gang, had minor busts for drugs and to date had three kids sired on her by three different men. The latest _"lucky guy"_ one Juan Roberts, assuming the one she was carrying was his. About six months gone and probably a size eighteen when she wasn't expecting you could see why Judy's size six dance clothes had been of no use to her. Why the elderly vagrant had seen her toss them, along with the bag she subsequently retrieved, into the dumpster. But one thing she had kept.

"Nice watch ma'am" said Eames holstering her own weapon.

"This ain't nuthin. Fake"

"Really? Looks good to me"

"You don't know a fake _Rolex _when you see one lady?"

"I do. And that's not a _Rolex._ Take it off"

With reluctance and a glare at Roberts as he was helped from the floor, she handed it over.

The watch had originally belonged to one of Judy's grandmother's. Made and supplied by _Asprey's,_ the exclusive London jeweller in the nineteen fifties, it was distinctive.

"Looks like a match to me Finn" she handed the watch from her gloved hand to his along with a picture and serial number Mrs Whiteman kept for insurance purposes.

"And me. So which of you two killed Judy Morley?"

"You what!" yelped Roberts "Who's she? I didn't kill no girl"

"You dumb ass, stupid..." began Sheri before resorting to more colourful invective about the father of her child.

Eames could not help herself thinking Sheri was the dumb one. For picking yet another loser would be gone, possibly to jail, before she dropped that kid.

_**The Pond, Central Park**_

John Munch gestured to the dog handler to pull back his barking German Shepherd.

"It's okay Adam" he said. "I'm John. I'm a cop. Don't move son. I'm coming in"

He pushed his way into the quite dense vegetation, getting slapped in the face by some whippy branches, almost tripping over a stump and heading for the splash of blue.

Adam was curled up in a foetal position under a large shrub with shiny dark green leaves. Shivering, not with the cold but fear and trepidation. Munch said nothing as he removed his jacket, spread it over the boy and sat down between the exposed roots of a tree.

"Had quite a search for you son. Would not have found you yet but for _Ranger _back there. Want some gum?"

The head moved to indicate _"no"_ as Munch put some in his own mouth.

"It's not really good for you. Gum. All that chawing wears the enamel of your teeth. And did you know it can give you bad breath? Stimulates the digestive juices...because your stomach thinks food is coming. And all that gunk stinks. Reflux I think they call it...brings the smell back up into your mouth"

"Gross" said the kid quietly.

Munch smiled a little. They had made a start.

_**Rose Cottage, Washington School**_

It was on the end of a short line, the largest and with a veranda swept around three sides. When Logan opened the gate in the white picket fence Mrs Harriman was cutting stems of the flower for which it was named. Wearing gardening gloves and a dress his Mom would have liked, she looked to Goren much like all those other unmemorable officer's wives he'd met in his time. The only incongruent feature her hair which had an odd red tint to it. Wrong choice of colour to cover the grey or a dye that was fading he concluded as Mike introduced them.

Her look at Goren was like he was a lump of dog doo spoiling her manicured lawn. No doubt her opinion formed and fixed by her old man, it took only a look from him to Logan for his partner to realise they would get further and faster if he led on the questions. They followed her onto the veranda, where with an efficient briskness, she trimmed the stems further. Goren stood by the door in the _"at ease"_ position, his folder in his hands as Logan got on with it.

"I don't suppose you attended a boarding school Detective Logan" she finally said in a superior tone. "Or a military school?"

"No ma'am I did not"

"Well if you had you would know there is a surprising amount of contact between faculty wives and the cadets. Many of them are not much more than babies when they arrive here and these days...let's say some can barely tell a knife from a fork...those _Children's Services_ send"

"So ladies like yourself are a...civilising influence?"

"You could call it that. We invite small groups for supper on a regular basis. Especially as two of the battalion commanders are single men right now. The cadets can earn a little extra pocket money washing cars, cutting lawns and for our sins most of us volunteer to act as taxi cabs for the younger boys not allowed off base unaccompanied. Take them to the dentist or help pick them up from a suitable movie...that sort of thing"

Logan was getting the picture. "But it's informal? You are not allocated particular boys to...to look out for"

"Yes. Quite often it's because a cadet has a particular aptitude for a subject one of our husbands teaches. With others they might be acquainted with parents from time in the service. Or it can be a hobby. Mrs Duggan along at _Magnolia_ used to be a photographer's assistant or something. There's a group of the boys go there frequently. I think because they take them on photographic field trips at weekends. Taking things too far in my opinion"

As she fussed the roses, Goren doubted many of the teenagers would have much interest in flower arranging or needlepoint or however Mrs Harriman occupied her time.

"We understand Justin had quite a...a friendly relationship with Captain and Mrs Bolt"

She turned to stare at Logan. It was the same _"doggy doo"_ look.

"Come, come Detective Logan. I am sure you can be more direct than that"

She sat down on a wooden bench seat and arranged the full skirt of her dress.

"Okay" shrugged Logan. "What's the dirt on the Toomey kid and the Bolts?"

As he listened, Goren wondered just how much of what she told them she had shared with Major Harriman. Some of it almost certainly less a hideous scandal break on the school, though he suspected her husband would have been reluctant to tackle _"the problem"_ head on. Not when you knew who the kid's grandfather was and apparently how reliant he was on Bolt. Since getting rid of him would have been an alternative strategy to avoid trouble. It occurred to him the lady would have made a good detective or maybe undercover agent. Even if she could not help but see things from her kitchen window. The frequency with which Justin was hanging around in those woods and she would see Trixie Bolt go out there to meet him. Occasions when more than she had seen them at The Mall or in a coffee shop together.

But to follow Mrs Bolt's car on two occasions to a _"dubious motel"_ on Union Turnpike or scour the woods because she was sure they were leaving notes for each other was a step beyond. She even had the piece of paper she removed one time. Or at least what she copied before the replacing the original in a tree stump. She went and got that and it was Goren said _"ma'am"_ on her return.

She put it in his gloved hand and he stood reading it as Mike told her she should keep their discussion confidential. It was another of those strings of numbers together with something she wrote to the effect the rest of the page was covered in rough notes for what looked like an English essay.

The interview concluded with her telling them they would no doubt discover for themselves what sort of person Trixie was, bemoaning Bolt's foolishness in marrying her and assuring them Leonard would not have harmed the boy.

As they went down the path Logan laughed softly "Can she seriously think that when she gave us the best motive for anyone so far?"

"The ability of women to hold two contradictory ideas in their head at the same time has always defied explanation Mike"

Logan's cell phone warbled and while he talked to the lab, Goren placed the note in an evidence bag. Filing it away and thinking they must give some time to working that out. He'd seen similar numbers in a couple of files of Justin's and breaking that code could provide them with proof or clues to many things.

Mike gave him a shove and indicated to write down what he said.

The CSU people had managed to identify not only what they were sure was the brand of pecan puree used in the shampoo but only two stores in the whole of Queens stocked it. One, many miles distant to the south. The other, just a few blocks away at the local mall.

"Think we can rule out suicide completely Bobby?" asked Mike as they headed for _Jasmine Cottage._

"Probably but I would like to hear what Caro has to say on that. Thought we might have heard by now"

Logan shrugged "Bellevue lawyers playing hard to get I expect. She'll be fine and by the way is it true you got thrown out of _Lamaze_ class?"

_**Interview Room 2, SVU**_

Elliot Stabler had been getting no-where fast with Smith/Chamberlain and his lawyer. Not on activities with underage girls they had proof of and especially not with Judy. About all the dancer had conceded was he had picked it up in the news about what happened. He'd leaned on the table and close to yelled at him they had evidence of motive to kill the girl. That she was going to _"blow"_ his cover, tell all about his sordid behaviour and he got rid of her to shut her up. Even that had not budged him and in a brief consult with Don Cragen, they concluded they must be waiting to see just how much the search did turn up.

While they took a brief break, Stabler had steeled himself to go through those pictures to find girls he could definitely put names to. He located Summer, Judy and Tory. Certain they were positioned in every sense to give that hidden camera the best view and he was fairly certain none of them knew it was there. He'd seen so much of this kind of thing but still could not get over it. How a girl's face during sex could have an expression like pain when she was possibly experiencing pleasure and vice versa. Was sure that was the motivation for a lot of pornography. It met the needs of every type of fantasy. Ranging from _"normal"_ whatever that was, to the totally perverse.

As the pictures began to come off the printer Elliot got a call from the lab. Jill Quinell had done a quick review of the contents of the PC in the living room and got some help to check financials.

"Got you, you bastard" muttered Stabler heading back to the interview room. With the _"proof"_ of statutory rape and the promise of further charges on matters like child exploitation. They were now certain Smith was selling copies of discs and exchanging material with some very dubious websites. He could have the Feds all over him by the end of the day.

But not until Elliot was done with him and he found out what Smith did to that poor kid.

_**To be continued...**_


	19. Chapter 19

**Wednesday 17****th**** June**

_**Jasmine Cottage, Washington School**_

Goren had given up trying to explain by the time they reached the front door. They were not _"thrown out"_ of childbirth classes. They had switched because their wishes and expectations, for which read Caro's since she was the one would have to go through it, were different to that of the teacher and a majority of the other would be parents in their original group. There was no answer but the sound of a female country singer from the rear.

"Follow Dolly?" shrugged Logan.

"Tammy I think"

"Could be Loretta"

"Or even Emmy-Lou. All sound the same to me and I don't like any of it"

"Me neither" said Mike leading the way to the back yard. "Strangled cats"

"Strangling is too good for cats" muttered Goren reminding his partner of his bad allergy.

They found Trixie Bolt hanging some washing and singing along. Something about how being dressed in rags, having seven kids, a dirt floor and only possum for supper was okay because Billy Bob though he done her wrong was her man.

This time it was Logan came to a sudden halt and Goren bounced off him. At the sight of a large breasted bleach blonde bent over the wash basket. The tiny vest top was fighting a losing battle to contain them even when she stood up.

"Hi there schug" she smiled at Mike.

Her legs, a uniformly _"mid oak"_ tan as the rest of her, were made to look longer by red high heels. Goren felt like he'd just walked onto the set of _"The Dukes of Hazzard"_ and he shifted his folder automatically when he realised where her gaze was lingering. Logan had no such cover as she tottered over the ragged grass saying they had to be the _"po-licemen"._

_If two middle aged cops who had been round the block a few times were like floundering, bashful school boys confronted with this brazen Dixie sex bomb, what chance did kids like Justin have?_

It turned into one of the most disconcerting experiences of Goren's career with NYPD. One moment she was a bimbo pouting it was _"kinda quiet"_ here for her taste and she wished Lenny would replace her _"l'ill ole veh-heercal"_ and the next speaking with a sensitive perception how tough some of those _"fellahs"_ found the school and her sympathy for some whose life stories and dislocated family backgrounds she had learned about. Not as stupid as she made herself out to be and her tendency to speak in long bursts meant you really had to _"pick out"_ the important things she was saying.

Trixie flirted with Mike and would have run her ankle up Goren's calf had he not shifted so quickly it almost toppled the table where they were having iced tea. She claimed to have seen nothing unusual the morning of the fateful baseball match, despite admitting she was in the yard on a hammock. And from a yard had an almost uninterrupted view towards the gym. But she made a pretty poor job of claiming most of her meetings with Justin were _"co-inside-ance"_ but the idea he was running messages for her husband or someone else could not be dismissed as implausible. She outright denied having an improper relationship with him and pointed out if they didn't know already, a place like this was full of gossip. Younger _"gals"_ like her and Andrea Coltrane were bound to be the target of _"schoolboy yarns and mucky l'ill ole minds". _And the narrow minded jealousy of others. The latter said with a significant glance in the direction of _Rose Cottage_ as she stood up to pour more tea.

Goren had to sway back in his seat to avoid a face full of her butt. In shorts so scant they made _Daisy Duke_ look over dressed. Spared that experience, Mike did gather himself enough to press her a little harder in strictly the psychological sense. She did concede maybe Justin had a bit of a crush she might have encouraged. Was naughty of her Trixie admitted before hinting she did not always get a lot of _"a-tenshun"_ from Lenny. _"If y'all know what I mean schug"._

Logan did, but looking across to an equally confused Goren gave him no help. They didn't exactly run away but it felt like it.

"Well that went well. _Not_" hissed Mike as they hurried down the front path.

"How much of that do y'all... I mean...do you think was an act?"

"Don't ask me schug. You know what I don't get?"

"How a by the book, starched shirt like Bolt ends up with a woman like that?"

Mike paused "I saw two good reasons for him"

"Four" muttered Goren as he quickened his pace.

"Oh yeah...you're right" Logan agreed remembering that butt. "You got the closer look. Were they...."

"Uhuh...could crack walnuts between them...what the heck am I talking about...this is your fault Mike"

"Don't blame me pal. And question is, did her ole man use 'em to crack the pecans he might have put in Justin's shampoo"

_**The Library, Washington School**_

By the time they returned to the sanctuary of their unofficial office, Goren and Logan had regained some of their equilibrium. Even if they still lacked a clue how they would ever account for that forty minutes in their official records and both uncertain just how much they had learned. It was there Bobby got the call Mike knew he was antsy to receive for more than one reason. Captain Ross apparently apologising for the delay having been diverted by something urgent on the way to his desk and, in an exchange Logan could sense was slightly awkward on both sides, assuring his partner his _"other partner"_ was absolutely fine when he and Ron left her.

Mike could only imagine how Bobby was feeling right now. Had better reason than him to be _"off his game"_ a little. But Caro's opinion on the increasingly unlikely suicide option helped them both as did the other piece of information Ross had relayed. One which could, in all likelihood, blow a huge hole in the only motive for murdering Justin Toomey they came up with so far. They were just going back over Goren's notes, tossing a few ideas around, when there was a knock at the door.

When Goren opened it Theo Spender was there asking to speak with him _"sir"._ Logan was left in little doubt it was Goren the kid had specifically meant and he reached for the car keys.

"While you do that I'll take a run down the street"

Bobby knew they would need to check out that store sold pecan products at some point, so it was another job done. As Logan grabbed his jacket he steered Justin's roommate into the dusty but thankfully cool gloom of the library.

_**Interview Room 2, SVU**_

Eames watched and half listened to the interaction between Elliot and Casey one side of the table and Smith/Chamberlain and his lawyer the other. Confronted with all they knew and would solidify as evidence based on the items taken from his apartment, the dance teacher had finally wised up. To the fact he was left with everything hanging in the wind, facing some very serious charges, jail time and probably what was left to him on the sex offender's register. And his continuing and occasional protestations he didn't really think he was doing much wrong were not earning him any sympathy or understanding.

Alex knew she probably had a more _"liberal"_ side to her than Elliot. In that she could see his point that his _"victims"_ were not exactly _"children"_ and having met some of them, very willing to accept they were willing. They were silly, overly precocious girls treating sex like a game but however you looked at it they had almost certainly not agreed to be set up like unpaid porn stars and have images of that spread who knew where. Stabler saw it more in black and white, as come the end of the day, the law would too. He was probably right at an instinctual more than informed level, that Smith/Chamberlain was something of a narcissist at heart. Some of those images seemed as much about capturing his performance as much as theirs and listening to him, his emotional development seemed at around the teenage level.

Certainly immature or even stupid to begin to think he might bargain in any way for a statement about his movements on Saturday. Stabler just told him they'd be looking to add murder to the list. Eames knew they would not and so did Elliot. What John had finally persuaded from Adam over an hour in the Park and they got from Sheri and Juan, sent things in a totally different direction. A direction it had been on the tip of her tongue and toes to follow for herself as they took stock of where they were at. Until she saw that look from Don telling her silently to _"back off"._

That meant Munch and Tutuola were on their way back to _Hudson Academy,_ Elliot would be detailed to follow up any alibi checking on Smith and she was left with Dani. To begin the grim task of working with someone from _Victim Services_ and probably _Children's Services_ to identify, locate and interview all of the girls in Smith's little black book and on the electronic media. If that lawyer had any sense at all, he would plead his client out or at very least accept sworn affidavits. Not parade for cross exam a string of young women through the court.

_**To be continued...**_


	20. Chapter 20

**Wednesday 17****th**** June**

_**Hudson Academy, Lexington Avenue**_

School was just about to finish for the day when Finn and John Munch arrived. Miss Hale went into a protective panic until Munch made it very plain to her they'd go haul Will Saunders from his classroom or arrest him at the front gate, if she did not co-operate. And the moment Tutuola mentioned _"drugs"_ her attitude did change. Sent someone to fetch him from class and for the senior security guard the parent's money paid for. The two SVU detectives knew she was in part covering her own back but the set up there might help them too. It seemed when the kids were enrolled the parent's signed a contract, amongst other things, gave the school the right to search the person or property of a student at any time for any banned item. So provided Duggan under Miss Hale's direction did it, they could search Will's bag and locker without a warrant. Anything found would, in accordance with school policy, be handed to the police. Who just happened to be there right now.

Munch went with Duggan leaving Finn to evade a little on just why they were there and to warn her to expect a call from Captain Cragen on this and another matter Judy Morley's death had thrown up. Tutuola had no views either way about schools like Hudson, people like Miss Hale and the parents who sent their kids there. But he could not help but think everyone connected with the place was likely to have a very uncomfortable summer vacation and enrolment be down in the fall as word got round. It always did.

What John had finally and carefully extracted from Adam was that he was one of four boy younger students selling drugs to classmates at school and their respective social networks. Who the others were was of minor concern at that time. What mattered was that they had been recruited by Will Saunders. Adam tearfully swore that he did not know who Will was buying from and that neither his sister nor his mother knew until something went badly wrong. He somehow lost just over six hundred dollars he should be handing over to Will.

Needless the say the older kid went crazy and Adam was forced to go to his sister for help. She told him she would see Will and fix it Saturday morning. That accounted for the five hundred she emptied her account of and of course Munch said nothing of his suspicions as he finally led Adam Morley from the bushes. That maybe sex with Saunders was in part payment for her brother's debt. Or maybe worse followed when Will was unable to satisfy his backers were unlikely to be a bunch of prep school boys. His father's car and maybe Judy also became part payment and part punishment. Drug dealers wanted and needed two things Tutuola growled as they drove uptown. Their money paid on time and an example made of those who defaulted. For one thing there was always someone higher up the food chain would do it to them.

Will Saunders was barely through the Principal's door before Finn's cuffs locked none too gently round his wrists and he was made to _"assume the position"_ for a quick search. Soon as Munch stepped in to pronounce the locker clean, Duggan searched his bag. There was a small quantity of cannabis inside. The kid did not even protest personal use. He was too busy suddenly puking his guts on Miss Hale's nice office carpet and did not make a very prepossessing sight as he was frogmarched out of the school to the back of their vehicle. As he went round to the driver's side Munch spotted a small group of Saunders' _"crowd"._ He noticed Summer Petersen was not with the group.

_**The Library, Washington School**_

What Theo had come to tell him was that his father, a Captain in the Marines, was flying in from California. Due any time soon in fact. Intended to stay at a local hotel which meant if it was okay he would not need to impose on Mr and Mrs Stabler again tonight. Goren was more than a little relieved he did not have to feel responsible any longer for the young man's welfare.

"If it's okay for me to leave the State sir? I think my Dad will want me to go back with him"

"And skip the last week of school?" he teased him kindly.

"Three days really. So am I still a suspect or whatever?"

Goren rather admired the maturity of this guy. Had held up well in difficult circumstances and based on what he read in his file, had everything going for him as an officer candidate.

"No more than you were yesterday Theo. Unless of course your father is going to spirit you away to Mexico or somewhere"

Theo almost smiled "He's a Marine sir. If he thought I did anything to Justin he'd march me to the cells personally"

"You think so? Could a parent do that?"

"I dunno. You tell me sir. You must have kids"

"No I don't Theo...least not yet...my um...let you into a secret. My first is due today"

"Boy or girl?"

"No idea. We did not want to know"

"So did you pick names?"

"Uhuh though we'll probably toss a coin if it's a boy" Goren paused. "Excuse me? When did you become the one asking the questions here?"

"Thanks...I mean...you see it's the Military Police I think I might like to join. That is if this and the other...don't mess...we'll see"

"Fancy yourself in CID then?"

"Or maybe intelligence. That what you did sir?"

"You're asking the questions again Theo. It's nosey. And yes I did. CID for seven years. So let me be a warning to you. What a ten with Uncle Sam and more than I care to think with NYPD can do to a guy. There's just one question I want to ask you before you go. And forget all that honour code stuff. There's times the truth and all of it is more important. Even than the reputation of a friend. Am I making myself clear Cadet?"

"Yessir"

"During the course of the day Detective Logan and I have received information that Justin might have been having a relationship with a married woman. What do you know about that?"

Theo Spender looked him right in the eye "It's not true sir."

"Okay. Care to elaborate or do you need me to walk you through it?"

"Told you yesterday sir things had been off with Jus for a while. Once or twice when I was with him she...I suppose you mean Mrs Bolt... made a straight line for him. Like at The Mall one time. I thought maybe she was drunk or something. It was...creepy I guess...not exactly touching him but...over friendly. And of course rumours started. I didn't pay much heed. Last year some idiot had half the junior boys convinced Mrs Deveraux was having a thing with the Bursar. But it went on and I could see something was bugging Jus so I asked him what the f...what was going on"

Goren waited, his hands folded on his thigh as he perched on the desk.

"Justin would not tell me all of it. Figured I had enough problems or didn't want to drag me in. Whatever...but he was not doing anything with her. He couldn't"

"Because Justin was gay" said Goren quietly.

That was the major issue Caro said Justin had resolved about himself and shared with his horrified grandfather last summer. What was partly behind his self harm during puberty and which he had stopped almost overnight when he came to recognise and accept his sexuality. That was why the old man had sent him to therapy. Idiotically expecting she would_ "cure him"._ As Ross had relayed those words, Goren could hear her voice and see her face as she said it.

"Yessir"

Goren brushed imaginary lint from his pants. "Some guys marry, have kids so it doesn't follow he could never have..."

"No sir. You will have to trust me on this one sir. Justin said with a girl he never...no matter what they did he couldn't..."

"The word is erection or aroused Theo"

"Yessir"

"Were you and Justin lovers?" Goren asked immediately but gently.

"No sir. Believe it or not we were not each other's type sir. And would you mind telling me Detective Goren? How you knew?"

"I didn't. Not for sure until you told me. Let that be a lesson to you in timing young man"

"Not one I'm likely to forget. But you didn't answer me sir"

Goren laughed softly "No I didn't son. The beating you took was the first clue. Places like this are notoriously homophobic and a lot of teenage boys are. I'd explain why if I had the time. The room-mate suddenly wanting to switch? The delay in getting you a new one? Word about something was going round. Odd things people have been saying more in tone than content?"

"And I guess when you found out Justin was gay you figured that's why he offered to have me bunk with him. Didn't bother him. How did you find that out? Justin never came out or tried to make out he was uber-macho. Guess who he was helped and he was a pretty cool guy"

"Professional secret how I found out Theo" Goren tapped his nose. "So as far as you know, no-one else knew or suspected?"

"I'm not the first guy a lot confide in any more sir" he said quietly. "But no I don't think anyone did. I think Jus would have said"

Goren looked at him a moment. "Do your folks know?"

"Uhuh. Told them I dunno...maybe two years ago. They are okay with it. Of course Dad is worried. That it will screw my chances. Especially now the school knows. Don't have to say anything outright just word of mouth or not giving me a recommendation. My fault for letting my old roomie catch me j...um...masturbating and with..."

"_Stars and Stripes_ has always had all kinds of uses Theo" shrugged Goren. "Handy for wiping your butt in the jungle too"

Spender laughed out loud at that.

"And do I need to tell you some of the best soldiers I knew were gay?"

"No sir"

"So what are you going to do? Switch schools? Though I guess it's an awkward time"

"See what Dad says. Can always repeat a grade in California to be more prepared for graduation"

Goren stood up, went to his folder and flipped through. Wrote a name and number on a piece of paper and handed it to the kid.

"If you want some help make contact with this guy. He's pretty well placed in CID"

"Thank you sir" smiled the young man "Is he...?"

"Don't ask don't tell, Cadet Spender"

"Yessir. Permission to leave sir?"

"Sure. You got my number if there is anything you think of or if your Dad wants to talk to me. About any of this"

He opened the door just as a guy looked every inch the Marine stepped through the front door into the hall. Watched Theo hurry over, make as if to salute only to have his hand grabbed and then his Dad pull him into a bear hug. Spender Junior maybe said something because over his son's shoulder he threw Goren a sloppy salute he returned before shutting the door.

Goren went to the table where he had spread out several examples of that number code. He was seeing it but his mind was more on all the challenges of parenthood they did not prepare you for at classes. That nothing really prepared you for. And not for the first time, he felt that absence in his own life. Of any kind of model of parenting that approached what most would consider stable and grounded and normal. He'd have to trust to Caro's advice on that. How most people aimed _not _to be the sort of parent their own mother and father were. And that some actually succeeded in achieving that ambition.

_**To be continued...**_


	21. Chapter 21

**Wednesday 17****th**** June**

_**Interview Room 1, SVU**_

Jed Saunders had arrived with one of the lawyers from his firm. It was rarely a good idea for professionals of any sort to offer serious advice to relatives. Be they doctors, teachers or lawyers. Sound judgement and emotional investment were liable to get confused but as she gave them both a brief explanation for why they were here again, Eames realised Mr Saunders had _"given up" _on more than his son's representation. Did not ask to be present or observe the interview and the last she saw him he was making in the direction of the exit.

As the arresting officer Tutuola was with her as she entered the room and there was a sour smell coming from the remains of Will's lunch, hastily and ineffectually wiped from his shirt front. Having Finn with her fulfilled more than just legal niceties. He wasn't such a big guy, but his whole look combined with that facial expression of impatient disbelief would work to their advantage if they needed it. Brought a hint of physical threat to the room she and Goren had used his height and build to convey more than once. And, with there being a strong drug element to this case, Finn's experience in _Narco _meant he brought a wealth of knowledge and contacts in that world. Something Eames knew was a _"gap"_ in her own CV.

She knew as she sat down and let silence fill the void for a few moments, that Elliot might have liked to go a second or third round with this brat. But after the time he had with Smith/Chamberlain's confession he could use even the stifling late afternoon air. Or what he would get of it, checking out with John that creep's alibi for Saturday. One they all suspected would hold up.

"I'd say this is your last chance Will" she began. "But you used them all up. Along with any faint hope the DA won't press charges"

His lawyer glanced at the Saunders kid "I think we realise that Lieutenant. I have advised William accordingly"

The boy wilted even more, if that were possible, under the look he got from Eames and Tutuola. What he told them before was true. Up to the point he and Judy left the bank on Saturday. Eames asked the questions. Never mentioned Adam Morley but got from Will just why Judy withdrew that money and was seeing him at all that day. Everything he said verified what the younger kid had told John Munch and included the names of the other kids at _Hudson Academy_ who were selling drugs on his behalf. Eames suspected there might have been an element of making sure he was the not the only one went down on that aspect of the affair. She would worry about what to do about them later.

But as Saunders began to spill on who his supplier was, she saw the almost imperceptible nod from Finn standing against the wall. He knew enough about the guy named to verify he was a credible dealer and the kid was not selling them another pile of shit. Eames would wait on that as Will went on to say he took Judy with him to his meeting with his regular _"contact"_ because she could vouch for the fact she could make up the remaining shortfall of two hundred dollars in a week. When she received a monthly allowance Bill Morley sent her.

Eames sighed fractionally at the prospect a young girl was abused and died for the sake of a couple of hundred bucks.

_**Logan's Apartment, Queens.**_

Mike loved stores like _"Emory and Sons"._ Not because of the variety of foodstuff it sold for all types of cuisine. Not because it claimed to stock _"only the best and authentic ingredients"._ And certainly not because it had a large section of organics and items to suit the taste of most bizarre fads and diets he had ever heard of. And some he had not.

Logan loved it because places like that were still family run affairs. Not huge warehouses staffed with large shifts of differing personnel who came and went almost as often as the tide. It meant the first person he spoke to had heard of the school and knew exactly who he needed to speak to. One of the _"and Sons"_ able to confirm _Washington School_ did not only have a small, regular order for the kitchen. Several of the staff had accounts there, were known to him personally and that one of them was Mrs Trixie Bolt. Mike suspected maybe he had been subject to some of her _"magic"_ but if so it did not affect his memory.

Emory Jnr told Logan he was sure she had purchased the product he was interested in on at least two occasions. One time he thought was back in the Fall, probably around Thanksgiving, when they sold a lot of pecan puree. Many folk not so keen on _"pumpkin"_ and wanting something different to apple, got it for pies. Thought Mrs Bolt may have mentioned her husband's preference at the checkout. The second time he was more certain. About three weeks ago and easily memorable. For the fact she dropped a jar of it in the aisle. Causing one hell of a sticky mess he'd had to summon someone to clean up. Recalled taking a jar from the top shelf, assuring her she'd not be charged for the breakage and putting it in her shopping cart for her.

That told him and Bobby there was strong chance the means to kill Justin Toomey had been in the Bolt cottage. It also made Trixie a possible suspect herself. If she was having _"a thing"_ with the Toomey boy perhaps he threatened to spill the beans? Tell her husband or go to Harriman with a claim she was molesting him? Except his claimed sexual preference and Bob's conversation with Theo Spender seemed to shoot that out of the water. _Or did it?_

Logan set about dicing the cooked chicken he bought while he was at the store. Later, he would add it to the sweet and sour sauce and other ingredients he had also picked up. Solved his problem about what to eat for dinner even if it did earn him one of those looks from Goren as he got in the SUV when they called it quits for the day.

_**St Luke's Place, Greenwich Village.**_

There had been no official treaty signed but _"peace"_ had broken out by the time Goren returned home. Being not just _not late,_ but even a little early probably helped and he'd not ignore the possibility that the meeting Caro had with Ron and Captain Ross may have helped her. Relieved the boredom and gave her chance, in just a small way, to stretch her professional legs. And of course he could have collected that suit of his from the dry cleaners himself but he didn't say so when she told him she'd _"waddled"_ down the street earlier for it.

Out of the clothes he'd been in all day, he did tell her something about the development of the case. The detail of his work and hers was something they generally avoided but between organising something for dinner, he did mention to her that code was frustrating him.

Caro opened his folder shoved out the way to the far end of the counter and looked at the sheets in their plastic covers.

"Oh that's easy Rob" she assured him.

"Easier than getting seeds from this water melon?" he muttered flicking the knife and his fingers they were sticking to.

"I'll show you"

He watched her go to the corner of the room where the desk was. Holding her back he'd promised to massage later. There he lost sight of her while he went to another cupboard and it crossed his mind to call Ian Jacklin later. Ian was an old Army buddy, still stationed at CID HQ at Fort Belvoir in Virginia. Goren owed him a call and with luck, he could circumvent Uncle Sam and save some time getting more background on Captain Bolt. His mild demeanour apparently disguised quite a temper. More than one person had mentioned that but both he and Logan needed to get _"a feel"_ for whether he was capable of the sort of sudden rage or festering resentment to lead him to kill a teenager. One way would be to try and provoke it. But Jacklin and a little unofficial electronic burglary might avoid that.

Caro returned with a piece of paper on which she had written sixteen numbers in eight pairs.

"Thank you sweetie. Not sure that helps"

"You're the detective" she teased him. "Go detect while I rescue that poor watermelon. Much more from you and it will all be pulp or down the sink"

Goren wiped his hands and went over to the desk. Spotting almost immediately something out of place. His well worn dictionary, contrary to a comment Eames once made, something he'd not read cover to cover. The first of each number Caro wrote had to be a page and the second the entry. He'd always thought the numbers were some kind of _"key"_ but with everything else had just not taken the time to think it through. If you knew the book or document it was fairly simple to determine the page or line number or paragraph or whatever. Caro had distributed the eight numbers sets across the page so the first one he solved, _3 & 26,_ gave him _"about"._ The next yielded _"love"_ and the third _"the"._

By the time he'd found _"crib", "you", "sorry"_ and _"do"_ it didn't take a genius to know two things. That the last word would be _"I"_ and that peace had broken out.

And it left him two things to do. Work out what the hell it was Justin and/or Trixie had used as the _"key"_ for those messages. And to tell Caro she was forgiven and loved in return. No question which was his priority.

_**Police Plaza**_

She had spent some time hesitating outside the building. Coming up with a convincing story and convincing herself there would be a problem. This was the HQ of _NYPD._ Cops asked the questions and they were bound to ask something when she went in. Just annoying she'd had to leave it until evening time, what with a seminar and her shift at the University bookstore. It meant it was quieter, she'd stick out more, be more memorable and them have time to question her reason for being there.

Finally, she came up with a suitably vague _"story" _and thinking herself very naive and dumb that lying did not come easily to her, she went inside the building.

Turned out to be a piece of cake. She left the area wondering what it might cost to hire a car for a few days.

_**To be continued...**_


	22. Chapter 22

**Wednesday 17****th**** June**

_**Vestry Street, Soho**_

Eames was very late, hungry and beat up by the time she got home. McCoy was at his desk and showed no inclination to either get up and get her something or talk about _"her day"._ Just growled something about the damn Mayor and some lunch the man had with folk from the New York Tourism Board. And how, as a result, he, The Chief and everyone else were getting their butts kicked to report back on crimes targeting tourists and any ideas they had for new initiatives to deal with them.

She went into the kitchen, made a couple of sandwiches the size of doorsteps and flicked on the TV. Just in time to catch the tail end of a local news station reporting how several law enforcement agencies had uncovered a web of paedophile activity linked to prominent private schools in the city. And she did not stop to think, just flew over the hall, burst through the door and snapped.

"Who in your office opened their big mouth? I've just seen something on the news I'm sure relates to our case. Henry Smith? Ring any bells?"

"What makes you so damn sure it was my office? Not yours?"

"We never said anything. We have enough to do without yapping to the media and causing a stir"

McCoy removed his reading glasses "I meant somewhere in NYPD, not just your little corner of it Al"

"_Our little corner_?" she heard her own voice rise almost an octave. "Is that what you think of SVU?"

"Why don't you try thinking?" he barked "Or at least doing it before you open your mouth and start accusing Casey or someone at the DA's. If you did, you might recall the nature of the likely charges and the continuing investigation meant we were obliged to notify the FBI, something incidentally you should probably have done and because of that, the US Attorney. And maybe if you'd thought a little harder Detective you would remember Stan Connelly is lining himself up for a run at the governorship. So has every incentive for premature and off the record press briefings"

Eames stared at him for a long moment. She knew he was right. Would probably be as pissed off as her about it. There were a lot of things she could have done at that moment. A lot she should have done. Instead she turned on her heel and left the room, knowing as she did so it was doubling the size of the crow she would have to eat down the line. Sometimes you just couldn't stop yourself.

Jack McCoy stared for an equally long moment at the closed door and willed himself not to think perhaps it was just as well he'd not asked her to marry him.

_**St Luke's Place, Greenwich Village**_

Goren knelt on the bed kneading his thumbs into the lower part of Caro's back as _"the fathers",_ as they were collectively referred to at classes, had been taught. Intended to help with the back strain so common in the third trimester and to assist with pain management during labour. Had felt like the rest of them at first. A self conscious, prize fool on the floor of a room at one of the local High Schools. And the _"mommies"_ had not helped. To the last woman they seemed to make some whispered comment or outright joke to embarrass them more. And none of them ever worked out why it didn't seem to bother the so called _ladies _to be seen in such...such suggestive poses and experience rather intimate touching in front of a room full of strangers. But then as Caro reminded him, regular visits to the ob/gyn were never part of a guy's life.

Nor would he deny that at first, when it was all new and based on the size of the bulge not very real either, the practice at home had sometimes turned them both on. Such they got additional practice in something they both knew pretty much how to do anyway. Either the novelty wore off or the reality set in because now it was far more matter of fact and just practical. Goren just hoped when Caro's odd sighs of relief were just moans of pain he could remember anything at all of what he was supposed to do. _Maybe there was some primeval instinct in a guy would come out? Something men knew when they lived in caves? Some deep intuition which would somehow resurface? _And if not, it was kind of late to try to back out now.

"Should I go on a bit longer? he asked quietly.

"No" she sighed "I could almost fall asleep like this Rob but..."

"But what?" somehow Goren kept minor panic out of his voice.

"But my butt the size of Baltimore is making my feet go to sleep. Can you?"

"Sure" he crawled round to the front and helped her up from her haunches.

Caro left her arms round his neck and rested her cheek against his chest for a moment. Her belly and the baby felt warm against his groin through thin summer shorts.

"You know if you were not so tall we'd not be able to get within about a foot of each other right now"

"Probably right" he gave her a soft kiss. "Come on let's get you comfortable"

"For ten minutes" Caro muttered.

He got her lying down with himself and various pillows to support various parts of her.

"Caro? About the Academy?"

"Is this the decision or an all nighter to talk about it?"

"Decision"

"Okay shoot. Though I won't be suggesting that to you again in a hurry"

It was times like that Goren both wondered why he loved her and knew exactly why he did.

_**The Stabler House, Floral Park, Queens**_

Elliot had been awake for some time wishing he could forget some of the images he'd seen that day. Realising, not for the first time, that the more you tried not to think of something, the more you did. It had crossed his mind there was one thing that might take his mind off it and induce sleep. But that would be selfish and almost using his wife. Something he would not deny had happened more times than he would care to admit_. Perhaps that was part of what went wrong in their marriage? _Sex was used as a sedative not to quench a physical urge in either of them. An urge he so often saw played out perversely by day he had begun to question whether it was ever normal, should only be surrendered to for purposes of procreation and then with shame. Being a Catholic didn't help of course. Appetite and attraction were not something the Church actively encouraged but Stabler doubted it preached achieving amnesia as an acceptable motivation either.

And the decision on that was rather made for him when he turned over to discover Kathy was asleep anyway.

The early part of Smith/Chamberlain's alibi for Saturday was holding water without a single drip. The stage manager where he was working had confirmed the guy had a slip and fall during the finale of the show ended in the early hours of Friday morning. Had seen the ankle swelling and him hobbling out as the cast went home. And the records of the local ER showed him present either waiting, getting x rayed or being seen to get it strapped from between nine and eleven thirty Saturday morning. From there his buddy Gibson had driven him home where they stayed for the next two hours. Gibson had no record and was not any of the people they had discovered so far the pervert was mailing pictures and movie footage to. Probably trustworthy and it was he drove Smith across town for some intensive therapy to get him on stage Saturday night. He was accounted for in the theatre from about 7.30pm for two performances but had to give over some of his solos and more demanding cameo pieces to one of the _"chorus line"._

Stabler tried not to regret Smith/Chamberlain was looking increasingly innocent for the murder. Had they stood a chance of convicting him on that he would stay even longer behind bars. Might never come out and that would be too soon for Elliot. His only consolation was that they had two good leads to follow. The name that wretch Saunders gave them for his dealer, though it was not him showed up at the meeting. Some guy he never saw before according to him seemed _"to panic"_ more than get mad when Saunders did not have all the money he expected to collect. Alex Eames appeared to accept Will's impression there was never a plan to jack his father's Porsche. The guy just _"did it"_ and Will was certain this man never realised until he was driving off that Judy was waiting in the car.

Apparently he'd even offered to do a lie detector to prove he was now telling the truth when he said that was the last he saw of her and had no idea what happened after that. She got shot and was in contact with auto parts/equipment was about all they knew. And that at the other end of the events, a dumb minor gang banger bought her belongings from guy he thought was called _"Eddie"._ Someone he met a couple of times in a bar in The Bronx. That was all Juan Roberts claimed he knew and for the time being he was being held on handling and receiving charges. The problem now was discovering the links between them in the chain and the events in the hours before Judy died.

Across the hall Elliot heard his youngest wail once and waited to see if it was going to become a full blown barrage.

"It's your turn" mumbled Kathy.

As he got out of bed Stabler didn't know if she had ever been asleep or just said it in her sleep. _And what kind of detective did that make him?_

**Thursday 18****th**** June**

_**St Luke's Place, Greenwich Village**_

Goren had just been at that point of unconsciousness when Caro shifted position.

"W...wh...what?" he startled.

"Nothing sorry"

"Hnung" he shifted back against her trailing his fingertips over her hip and curve of her butt cheek.

It was no-where near the size of Baltimore. Brooklyn maybe. And he kind of liked it either way.

"Told you"

"What?" he frowned in the darkness

"Five past midnight. Told you the baby wouldn't come today"

"Yesterday"

"Pedant"

"You know what might help?" he murmured as his hand began to stray places.

"So they say"

"Has several sound physiological reasons for it to work"

"I know. I read the book too. So what do you want to do Rob? Make out, make love or induce labour?"

"Go to sleep"

"Good"

"You knew I'd say that if you put it that way Caro" he muttered.

"Uhuh"

_**To be continued...**_


	23. Chapter 23

**Thursday 18****th**** June**

_**West 127**__**th**__** Street**_

One of the many lies Will Toomey had told in his various versions of what happened last Saturday was the matter of his location when his father's _Porsche 911_ was stolen, not by the _"two Hispanics"_ he originally reported to the cops but a single, young black guy. He claimed it was in an alley ten blocks further north, no doubt in an effort to both hide the reality of what he was up to and maybe earn some credit with his pissed off dealer. Make it seem it happened away from _"his turf"._ It also explained why the timescales never quite fit, his deliberate vagueness about them aside. Because once the car, containing what must have been a terrified Judy Morley was driven away, he'd hurried the ten blocks north to make the two phone calls shown in his cell logs and was thus on 137th when the local cops arrived to deal with a _911_ about a jacked luxury sports car.

As they approached their own from different directions just a look and a gesture between Munch and Tutuola was enough to convey the fact both had struck out with any local storekeepers or anyone might have seen something. Or recognised the artist's sketch of the dealer Will only knew as Jink Z. Dealer and part time DJ since it was one time this deck artist was doing a gig at a party they first made contact.

Munch started the motor "Your buddy Lionel's place?"

"Yeah" said Finn. "If this is the neighbourhood Jink Z was working he ain't doing it without Jones knowing it or supplying him. His place is halfway down the next block"

Munch eased the car into traffic "And you went to school with Jones?"

"'till he got sent up the river the first time" muttered Tutuola. "Took him around seventeen years and three busts before he wised up. Of course a couple of convenient deaths we could never pin on him when I was in _Narco _cleared away most of the local competition. And no question this events and party company he runs right now is legit on the surface"

"Think he'll point us towards Jink Z?"

"Maybe. He won't want the spotlight on him. Lionel likes to do his business more...more sophisticated these days. Won't be happy with Jink Z, that's for sure"

"More sophisticated? You mean we'll never find this DJ's body?"

"You got it John"

"You know what I never got? Why all these brothers have street names ending in Z or T"

Finn glanced across "On account Ice P would be dumb ass I guess"

_**West View Motel, Union Turnpike, Queens**_

Logan returned from speaking to one of the maids to find Goren waiting for him in the SUV.

"Zip" he sighed getting in and away from the already scorching heat of the morning.

The woman on the desk had recognised the description of Trixie Bolt right away. She had even booked a room there a couple of times in her own name. Paid cash of course so she was not as dumb as to leave a bank or credit card trail her husband could follow. And they supposed her insistence on a room _"at the back"_ also meant her car could not been seen from the street. But the plump brunette could not tell them for sure who she met there. Claimed she never saw Justin Toomey and did not pick out anyone else from the yearbook pictures of the faculty and senior cadets.

Goren returned the yearbook to inside his folder already bulging with various items and, wriggling in the seat, his cell to his pants pocket.

"Ron Carver is going to speak to Judge Goldberg about a warrant for the Bolt cottage. Just in case they won't co-operate"

"Great" murmured Logan "Then we can spend a couple of hours trying to match books or something she and Justin both had to work out what they used as the key for this code they had going for them"

"If it was messages between the two of them" mused Goren. "I mean...if the kid being gay meant he was never...with her...what other reason would they have to keep meeting? Or pass these notes?"

"Dunno" said Mike "Some kind of silly game? Or maybe she was the one other person he told? Trixie would not be my first pick to confide in, but get by the airhead and her...um...her other dominant features..."

"Her boobs and ass" Goren filled in the spaces

"Yeah...get by those and I could see her as a kind person...sympathetic older sister kind of thing?"

"Maybe. So what are you waiting for?"

"You to get out of the car or are you going to leave that Ford here all day?"

Goren had rather forgotten he'd driven himself to meet Mike there that morning. And made an embarrassed little sound as he made to get out of the _Equinox._

"You like the _Focus_?" enquired Logan.

"It's okay. Practical not a passion Caro calls it"

"Should have thought practical not passion nine months ago Bobby. Then you wouldn't be driving round in a sensible station wagon and one I see you got ready with the baby seat. You know what they say can bring on the labour don't you?"

There was no reply. Just the heavy door slamming.

Logan grinned as he started the motor.

_**SVU**_

Eames put down her phone with a sigh and crossed another off the list. One of the remarkable number of 02 _Chevy Express_ vans in white or maybe silver grey registered to men in the city whose first or family names were Edward. The only other clue they had from Juan Roberts who had gone to it in the dark parking lot of the bar Sunday night. Naturally they began with the ones had a record and had eliminated African Americans since Roberts claimed the driver he bought Judy's things from was white. Trouble was, being a working day; many of them were on the road. Being used by plumbers, electricians or for light deliveries all over town.

They did not know for sure the driver was the registered owner and _"Eddie"_ could just be a nickname. Even with help from precincts and patrol cars it was taking too long and she supposed they should feel grateful they had two bites, two leads and two chances to follow. Eames forced her attention back to another case two of the more junior members of the squad wanted some help with. And tried to get her mind off her personal life. She'd grovelled to Jack with an apology before they went to bed last night and him being _"cool"_ that morning was to be expected. He didn't ever exactly sulk any more than she did after a fight. Just stayed in their corners for a day or so.

_And perhaps it was just this latest work thing bugging him?_ But there had been _"odd moments"_ she could not put her finger on for maybe a week now. When his attention seemed to wander or she caught him looking at her kind of strange. And two, Eames hoped, casual attempts to find out what was going through his head had failed. It was not like McCoy to keep stuff bottled up and it scared her. Maybe with her being so busy since she changed jobs she had not realised something was going wrong between them. Or she was too stupid to realise what it was and maybe he was just getting bored with her? She knew sufficient about Jack's past was public enough to know he'd had a couple of long term relationships just _"drift"_ to an end.

But what worried her more was that Jack was sick again in some way. They could work at their relationship. She'd do her damndest to fix it if that was the problem, though quite how far she would go, Alex could not say. There was no sign or symptoms she could see of him being ill but maybe he was doing a good job of hiding it? Keeping it from her in a way he never tried to last time. Having secret tests or something until he knew for sure and told her what was wrong.

It was times like this she missed Goren. Not because she would have dumped her anxieties on him. They never did do that to each other and he'd certainly had plenty of trouble in his past he never fully shared. But it was re-assurance Eames supposed. Each day you knew who you would see when you looked up from your desk and who would be at your side for whatever the working day threw at you. And for a guy could be as unpredictable as he was, there was a solid predictability about Bobby she could count on. And it was true. She was sometimes and deliberately in his shadow. Made sense to stick there on a day as hot as this one.

_**McClaughlin Avenue, Queens**_

"Least something went in our favour Elliot" said Dani Beck as she halted their car across the street from a print shop.

"Yeah" he said checking the registration of the _Chevy Express_ van to be sure it was the one registered to Edward Beal.

Their pursuit of him that morning had started at an address in The Bronx a few blocks away from the bar where Juan Roberts said he met the guy. It had taken a while to get a response at the basement apartment. His semi dressed girlfriend had been working a freaking night shift she had complained and it was more than just being woken from sleep made her unresponsive. There was little doubt Beal was working off the radar, it had taken Stabler to assure her they would not be contacting the _IRS _to get her to talk at all and she knew little about a business was not much done on paper. Dani had lied when she told her it was only because he was a possible witness to something she opened up and gave her the name of a company in the Garment District he did regular deliveries for on a Thursday.

That had taken them to West 25th in Manhattan and to another interesting piece of information. When the sweatshop owner complained, amongst other things, the Chevy sometimes smelled of fish which did not improve the attraction of his merchandise. When Stabler called it into Eames she seemed encouraged they had another possible link to their victim. If they could find Edward Beal. The grouchy manufacturer gave them three addresses, two of them in Harlem and one over in Queens. They had been planning to visit the two uptown before crossing the river, but at the first the storekeeper had reported also seeing boxes of copier paper in the back. She more or less admitted chances were they were _"hot"_ because Eddie had let her have some in the past. And it was casual conversation she knew where he was heading with them.

So they had skipped the second on the list and headed straight for _"EZ Print"_ on McClaughlin.

Stabler waited until he saw a white guy seemed to match the DMV picture come out of the store with a small hand trolley and begin loading. He signalled Beck to go further along the sidewalk while he crossed over the street. Dumb luck someone was pulling out from the sidewalk and almost hit him. The sound of the horn and a yell to _"watch it pal"_ made Beal look up.

Soon as he spotted Stabler, the gun and the badge he made for the driver's door.

Elliot found himself hollering to Beck to _"forget it"_ and was in the car as Beal screamed away taking tread off the tires.

He left some of their own braking to pick up his partner and set off after the Chevy. Left it to Beck to get their light and siren going and to call it in. The two vehicles weaving drunkenly between traffic, Beal was not stopping and what Stabler called the driver of a bus somehow got between them, he'd punish any of his kids for saying.

"He's turned!" yelled Beck had a better view

She then concentrated on holding on as Stabler forced the vehicle almost onto two wheels to make the right turn into _Epsom Course._ As they approached the junction with _Martin Lewis Boulevard_ they were doing close to sixty and the centre of gravity of the Chevy shifted dangerously as Beal made a late decision to go left. Stabler fought the wheel to stop them fishtailing right around at the junction and Beck was close to yelling into the radio for someone, anyone to cut this guy off.

As they headed south down _Martin Lewis_ Elliot could almost see the attraction of the drag races the street was famous for.

Somehow he saw a large SUV coming from the right out of a gas station ahead.

"What the...!" he barked as the driver made no real attempt to miss the van but more or less side swiped it and forced it to the left lane and then against a street lamp.

The two vehicles and the pole made an oddly melodic sound as metal screeched against metal, against metal and everything stopped.

Beck was out first, gun drawn heading for the driver's side of the _Chevy_ and as Stabler passed the SUV to go the other side to cover with his own weapon, a familiar voice rang out.

"Still clearing up your shit for you Elliot" called a grinning Mike Logan from inside the _Equinox._

_**To be continued...**_


	24. Chapter 24

**Thursday 17****th**** June**

_**West 130**__**th**__** Street**_

Lionel Jones, looking every inch the respectable, if slightly over-accessorised, businessman had been expecting them. Soon as their car pulled up along the block Tutuola and Munch saw three young black men step into buildings and alleyways. To call a number or pager given to them as they acted as lookouts for a man now posed as much as _"community leader"_ as _"gangsta"_ these days. The huge hunk of muscle at the entrance had not hesitated to show them into the outer office might have been any other business engaged in legal activity and the door to his own was open. But another guy who was a tribute to genes, the gym and probably steroids, shifted uneasily on legs like tree trunks in front of a second led to the upper floor.

Jones had not denied Jink Z worked for him. Insisting it was purely as a legitimate DJ for parties and events. And if it were otherwise he would certainly need to have words with him when he returned from a three gig stint he was doing in Baltimore right now. Whether that was true or the guy was dead or just conveniently out of the city did not matter too much to the two SVU detectives. Not when they told Jones it was a contact of Jink Z they really wanted to find.

Because Jones had immediately given up the name of David Okinwala, some sort of cousin of Jinks Z and the sort of _"meth head crazy"_ to pull a stunt like stealing a car or killing the girl he had read about in the papers. As they headed for his address, Munch had commented on the smarts of the guy had sat next to his partner when they were in third grade. Unless it was a total crock either this Okinwala character had told Jones and Jink Z what went down or they worked it out when the story broke. Anticipated the cops tracing some connection back to them and made sure they were ready.

Okinwala opened the door to the alleged _"pizza delivery"_ and was disorientated and staggering as Finn stepped through first and restrained him against the wall.

In t shirt and shorts he did not take much searching and was as high as a kite. He also had several contusions on his face looked a few days old. Probably where Jink Z or his boss _"explained"_ what he did wrong. Nor did John have much trouble finding his stash of meth or a small 22 calibre. Finn had his hands full stopping the semi conscious idiot falling off a chair and neither was worried about the illegality of some of what they were doing. The alternately giggling, slurring and whining Okinwala had no idea what he was saying and would have no memory of giving consent or being read his rights.

"I figure they've been keeping him well supplied here" grunted Tutuola as he struggled a little to get his cuffs on the man.

"One way of keeping him off the street or from saying too much" agreed Munch putting the gun into an evidence bag after emptying the chamber. "And making sure he was here if we came looking"

"Gonna take hours before he's sober enough to talk"

"Do me a favour Finn? Find him some pants or at least a safety pin"

Tutuola looked round and over the seated man's shoulder. It was more than his backside that was flopped out on the seat.

_**SVU**_

"And you and Dani are both okay?" frowned Eames.

"_Sure" Elliot sounded casual over the phone. "They are going to take Beal to Jamaica Hospital. He forgot to buckle up in his rush to be somewhere. Got a lump and a cut where he hit his head"_

"What about the van? Where's that going?"

"_Not sure yet but local traffic want it off the street before CSU take a good look. See no reason why it should not be moved"_

"True" said Eames "If Judy was in that Chevy it's been almost a week for any trace to be lost or any valet job to have removed evidence. A mile or two to the yard of the local precinct won't make any difference"

"_You coming over boss?"_

Eames mouth twitched. It was the first time he'd called her that. Or first time it registered with her anyway. And that grudging respect from Elliot Stabler cheered her up a little. She could use some right now and it seemed she was making some progress with him.

"Soon as I hear from Finn and John. Depends on which seems the most live track to follow"

"_Okay"_

"Elliot?"

"_Yeah Lieutenant?" _

"The driver of the SVU? Any passengers? You didn't say? Are they hurt?"

"_His mouth ain't" muttered Stabler._

"Excuse me?"

"_That was the other thing boss. The person headed Beal off was Mike Logan"_

"What?"

"_Mike..."_

"Yes I heard you first time Elliot. Is Bobby alright? What the hell are they doing there?" Alex could not keep the concern from her voice.

"_That Washington School? The Toomey kid. It's three blocks south of here. Mike was just filling up the car with gas"_

"And Bobby? Is he hurt?"

_Over in Queens Stabler realised he should have known how concerned she would be about her ex partner._

"_Goren wasn't with him" he replied. "Was up ahead in his own car. In fact Mike's fine too and gone to catch up to him"_

She sighed with relief.

_**Washington School**_

Goren stood silently assessing the damage to the _Equinox._ Looked like two new doors as well as replacement front and rear panels. More or less the whole of one side was dented, crumpled, scratched and smeared with paint from the _Chevy_. And when he finally pitched up, Logan had to get out of the passenger side door because his own would not budge. And no wonder when you saw it.

Logan watched Goren studying the SUV. He had at least had the decency to ask if he was okay but Mike also felt kind of sorry for him. Bobby only signed out for the thing ten days ago and Ross didn't always wait until he had all the facts before he reacted. Wasn't like Goren was even driving and his kid could be starting school before he would be done with all the paperwork such an incident provoked.

"Did Elliot a favour" he shrugged. "That might have been the vehicle used to transport the dead girl's body. Tied in somehow with that fireman?"

Goren turned round "That makes me feel a lot better. Knowing we helped Stabler"

"Thought you and he were cool now?"

"We're too old to be _cool _in the way you mean it Mike and but cool is probably the way it will always stay"

"Guy probably saved your life Bobby"

"I know and I doubt he's upset I didn't put my tongue down his throat to thank him. Now you ready to work this case?"

Logan shrugged. He didn't know what had gone down between Goren and Stabler years ago and didn't know anyone who did. Just knew he'd been there two years ago, seeing Bobby's blood pumping all over the floor and that Elliot had been the first to help him.

"While I was waiting for you I spoke to the groundskeeper" Goren said. "Works Tuesday and Friday. Was doing something on the track the morning Justin died. And Bolt lied to us. Said he never left the baseball game. But he was seen. Coming out of the locker rooms. Sometime during the last innings"

"Maybe needed a pee?" countered Mike. "Not sure if I was asked I would think to mention that"

"So why didn't he go use the ones serve the gym? They are closest and they were not locked"

"You think that's when he switched the shampoo bottles in Justin's bag?"

"About the last chance Bolt would have to be in there on his own...everyone tied up watching the game...who would notice him slip away from the back?"

"Agreed. And of course he'd already fixed things for the Toomey boy to stay behind. By claiming he never got the essay the art teacher says Justin handed to her and she put in Bolt's pigeonhole. And the gym block was the one place that day there was very high odds against him being found and saved by chance"

"Feel up to another discussion with Mrs Bolt?"

Logan's eyes rolled as Goren's cell began to chirp. Though he did rather enjoy the look of panic when Bobby must have feared Ross had got word of what happened to the vehicle he was responsible for. Turned out to be the Army buddy he spoke of earlier.

_**Office Of The Captain, Major Case Squad**_

Of course Danny Ross knew the essential facts of what had happened over in Queens. There was someone in the system almost got great delight in making sure you knew every bit of trouble happened with or to everyone and everything you were responsible for. In this case Detective Robert Goren and a brand new SUV by the sound of it would need to be re-built. Wasn't even driving the thing yet it was still messed up and he supposed it was really Logan he should have tried calling when all he got was the _"busy"_ sound from Goren's cell phone. Second time it went to voicemail and Mike's was _"out of service"._

_Perhaps that was something else the two of them had managed to break this morning without coming any closer to breaking the Toomey case?_ The delay gave him chance to calm down and it wasn't like they had wrecked the _Equinox _during a picnic on the beach. Might even turn out to have done SVU a big favour.

Ross pondered for a second or two calling Don Cragen. Inviting him to meet the repair bill from his budget. Ross got up to get some water from the icebox. The almost silent hiss of cold air escaping, mingled with his almost silent hiss of _"nightmare"._

_**To be continued...**_

_**AN :**_ _What happened between Goren and Stabler years ago is explained in _"A Wide Open Country".


	25. Chapter 25

**Thursday 18****th**** June**

_**Washington School**_

As they walked through the grounds and along the lane, Goren took the chance to discretely check out Logan was really okay. Not disguising a limp or favouring any part of him after that crash. And to tell him what his buddy Ian Jacklin had discovered.

"Leonard Bolt was not wounded in action the way he let us believe" he said. "He got that bad leg from being shot by a Lieutenant at his last posting in Georgia"

"Don't tell me" grinned Logan. "Let me guess. A leffy Bolt thought was banging his wife"

"Easy one. Seems Bolt went over to his quarter one evening three years ago and set about him with a baseball bat. Broke four ribs, his collarbone and an arm in one hell of a struggle. The Lieutenant got hold of his service pistol at some point. Was ruled self defence"

"Neither served time? They hushed it up?"

"It happens" shrugged Goren. "As a result neither was going to be fit for active service so they were both medically discharged and Bolt lost his pension for instigating the attack"

"Trixie did hint at his meanness with money the other day Bobby. Perhaps they are short because of that?"

"One of the things I do remember of that interview. But here's the funny thing. Ian said Bolt had a reputation for being tight with his wallet even before that. Which is strange because he's supposed to be worth a lot of money. Is some kind of trust fund kid? Might be worth checking out"

Logan suddenly stopped, not because he was suddenly hurting somewhere _"Hays and Bolt"_

"Excuse me?"

"_Hays and Bolt._ You must have seen them? They make a lot of that earth moving equipment, asphalt machines you see on the highways. Pass some works every day overloaded with their stuff"

"Could be" mused Goren. "Would explain the attraction for her. Ian said Trixie was Bolt's cleaner or housekeeper before he married her"

"Doesn't explain why he doesn't just divorce her though. Why he beats guys with baseball bats or maybe killed a seventeen year old"

"Afraid of what she'll take him for?" suggested Goren. "Especially if there's no pre-nup. And by the way the MPs found no solid evidence Trixie was ever doing more than coming onto the Lieutenant. They both denied and I guess she would to avoid a divorce with far less cash than she might otherwise get"

"Just did it to make the old man jealous?" murmured Mike. "Could be she did the same with Justin only this time Leonard went the whole hog?"

"Uhuh and Justin paid the price of her stupidity and his jealousy"

"Dangerous way to get a man like Bolt to come to attention or fix his bayonet more often"

"Shut up" muttered Goren shoving open the garden gate.

_**Jamaica Street Hospital, Queens**_

"As soon as we are done suturing his head you can see him" said the nurse of Edward Beal.

Eames and Stabler opted for a couple of chairs in the hallway.

"Just be grateful it's not a severe concussion or something else to keep us away" said Elliot.

"We'll arrest him all the same" said Eames. "The extra pressure won't hurt and even if he invokes, we can hold him pending more data from CSU. Get him in a line up for Juan to look at"

They had already had the news a luminol test had shown evidence of blood pooling in the back of the _Chevy._ The picture sent to Alex's phone showing an odd pattern where something had prevented it coming into contact with the floor in one area. Something they all suspected might be that swatch of denim Logan had found at the scene of Pete Allen's murder. An event now seemed weeks more than days ago

"Seems more hopeful than this Okinwala character right now"

"Tell me Elliot" Eames hissed. "Finn reckons it will be hours before he's up to saying much and they were calling for the doc when I left the unit"

_**Jasmine Cottage, Washington School**_

Trixie Bolt was no more modestly dressed than she had been the previous day but she was far more _"controlled"_ in her behaviour towards them. One could even go so far as to say helpful. Did not demand a search warrant to let Goren and Logan wander through the house and even invited them to look anywhere they wanted. It was Mike found himself rummaging through her underwear. More a collection of thin elastic and scraps of lace than anything seemed to serve any practical purpose. They might be made to turn a guy on but those things were hell on earth to try to get off a woman. He declined to invite Goren's observations on thongs. Guessed Bobby's experience was as broad as his own. Until he met Caro Reece.

Goren was checking the pockets of Bolt's uniforms when Mike called him over. At the back of the drawer was a book.

"Trixie strike you as a big reader Bobby?"

"No and its hardly porn or the secret birth control we most often find hidden" he lifted out the book with gloved hands and flicked through some pages.

When he paused at a couple Logan could see words lightly underlined or with a cross beside them in pencil.

"Justin had this book on his shelves" said Goren softly.

"You sure? Sorry of course you are"

"I'm sure Mike" his partner went on as softly "Because this is the book I read to Frank last summer...when he was...while he..."

Logan reached out to give Bobby's blue shirted back an awkward pat.

"I understand...I'll...um...I'll go check out the bathroom"

He left Goren alone with his thoughts about his brother. At the back of an untidy bathroom cabinet he found a box for a diaphragm with a film of sticky dust on it. Unless it was an old one it tended to suggest it was sometime since it was last used.

When he emerged, Goren was in the hallway holding up the book and another note he found in a shoe box belonging to Bolt. There was something weird about a man kept his shoes in boxes Logan said as they made for the stairs.

Goren turned at the top with a half smile "No I don't do that Mike"

"Good" he nodded.

Twenty minutes later they were leaving with one other item. A jar three parts empty of pecan puree. Hidden if that was the right word for it, in the tiny pantry off the kitchen. Just where you would normally keep such an item. Trixie it seemed was the pastry cook and she looked surprised when Logan brought it out. She thought there was about half a jar left because she'd mixed it with apple the last time she baked a pie. Not such a _"silly l'ill ole me"_ after all. Both detectives saw the look on her face as she worked it out. What they might be thinking.

"Y'all don't think I...I swear I never...not Justin...I loved that kid"

"Loved him?" asked Goren sharply.

"Not like that I mean...he maybe had a crush I...I maybe flirted a little with him"

"I think it's time you were honest with us Mrs Bolt" said Logan.

She sat down at the kitchen table. "Okay schug. Like I say I liked the boy...he had a crush and though I know it was bad of me...I um...we did meet once or twice...nothing secret y'all get me. Talked over a cuppa cawfee. And twice...no three times...we all...we kissed and I let him...touch me places I know I shouldn't have let him. Course he got...y'all know fellas and I...gave him..." she gestured an action with her hand. "Y'all know what I'm saying?"

"Yes" coughed Goren who no more needed explanation than Mike. They must have both been on the receiving end of such a gesture. Especially in their teens and not that often with girls knew how to do it well.

The glance from Logan suggested he might have experienced his share of clumsy efforts too but also he wanted them to get out of the cottage. To go somewhere to evaluate what they learned and to get the items Trixie said _"y'all welcome to fellas"_ to the lab.

_**Jamaica Street Hospital, Queens**_

As Eames and Stabler entered the small treatment room Eddie Beal glanced up. A mass of bruising was forming on the left side of his face and swelling so you could hardly see the line of five stitches. Courtesy of hitting his head on the driver's door as he was more or less broadsided by the _Major Case_ SUV. Eames was no accident investigator but she'd done her share of RTA's in her time. Enough to know Logan must have driven hard at the _Chevy_ and that it would have come off _"worst"_ when that tank hit it.

They introduced themselves and it was Stabler who began. Handed Beal a series of photographs. Items like the Morley girl's recovered watch and backpack.

"Never seen them before" he mumbled.

"Ever deliver any fish Mr Beal?" enquired Eames

"No"

"That's a lie" she told him "We've got a witness said your van has stunk of fish in the past"

"Maybe. Look you cops know I'm not working legit. That I don't enquire too much into the pedigree of things I move. So I'm saying nothing"

Eames gave Stabler an imperceptible nod.

"Thought you might say that Eddie"

She had to raise her voice as Elliot hauled Beal none too gently from the chair, cuffed him and told him he was under arrest for handling stolen property and attempted evasion of the police.

_**Washington School**_

Goren had left Logan getting a spare battery for his cell phone from the car and gone into the main entrance. In time to see Captain Bolt cross the hall at the rear heading in the direction of his office. When he spoke his name the guy turned with a mixture of surprise followed by fear.

"Captain!" he called after him rounding the corner as the Deputy Commandant _"quick hobbled"_ towards his tiny room at the end. Goren dropped his folder onto a nearby trophy cabinet and almost jogged after him. On well used instinct Goren drew his gun.

"I just want to..." as Bobby gave the door a shove and stepped through he was hit.

A blow to the back of his right shoulder sent an eruption of red pain through the whole of the top half of his body. Sufficient force to both _"push"_ him to the left and make him stumble that way. Into a bookcase he bounced off. Just keeping his feet, his right arm would not move and his left hand almost juggled the _Glock _to keep hold of it. Had he ever been inclined to carry a full fifteen load instead of ten that bit of extra weight might have spun it from his hand. Instead, his fingers locked around the grip and he managed to regain his balance.

His frame, left arm and the gun moving in an upward and right direction. But the light from the window now behind him was intense and it took a fraction for his eyes to adjust.

Just in time to see Captain Bolt with a large revolver he must have grabbed from his desk. Held firmly in two hands and levelled right at Goren's head.

Goren only had time to half croak, half pant _"Captain"_ when two shots rang out in quick succession.

_**To be continued...**_

_**AN **__**: **__The book Bobby read to his brother in "Encore for Adrasteia" was "Huckleberry Finn". Y'all have to read it schugs to find out why._


	26. Chapter 26

**Thursday 18****th**** June**

_**St Luke's Place, Greenwich Village**_

"Oh hi Megan... I thought you were..." Caro smiled as she opened the door.

Then she paused, seemed to stagger back a little off balance and Wheeler saw the colour drain from her face as she put one hand protectively over her belly.

"No!" she whispered. "Oh no"

Megan stepped through, babbling words of re-assurance as fast as she could, silently cursing Ross for sending her on this mission and just hoping that baby of Goren's held off his or her appearance in the world a little longer.

_**Jamaica Street Hospital, Queens**_

Eames and Stabler were leaving a rear door with their cuffed prisoner as the ambulance appeared on the far side of the building at the entrance to _ER._ The EMTs quickly extracted the stretcher containing the victim of a _GSW _and were calling vitals to one of the junior doctors as they pushed it through the hall.

The automatic doors had just swished shut when a red _Ford Focus_ drew up by the kerb and Mike Logan hurried out.

_**The Holding Cells, SVU, Manhattan**_

Finn Tutuola watched the duty doctor give David Okinwala a second shot to counteract the amount of meth in his system and did not respond to the hints maybe they should take the guy to the hospital. So far as the Detective was concerned that was down to the medic. If she thought he should be there let her say so formally. That's what they were paying her for. He took the small vial she handed him containing a couple of pills for later. Did not hand it to the supervising officer but shoved it in a pocket of his jeans.

In the short hallway he met John Munch.

"Waste of time putting that dumb ass in a line up for a while" Finn informed his partner. "Think his _PD _might have something to say about how come David's the only one giggling like an idiot and falling over"

"Does tend to draw attention" shrugged the older man. "That Saunders kid made bail by the way. His grandma coughed for it"

"Let's hope Novak grows a set. Throws the book at him"

"Doubt if he told the truth from the get go, it would have saved Judith Morley's life"

"Does it matter?"

"I guess not and the search team turned up nothing else at David's place"

"Great" muttered Finn as he headed for the Squad Room.

_**Danny Ross' Car**_

He took the call from Megan as he waited for the traffic on the _Triborough Bridge_ to clear around a truck with some kind of problem. Wheeler had barely walked through the Squad Room door after returning from Albany when he got the call about the shooting at _The Washington School_. One of those occasions Ross was momentarily torn what to do for the best. Go to _The Village_ himself to tell Caro Reese or make for his detectives in Queens.

Whoever turned up on her doorstep would have given the lady the sort of momentary panic, she apparently had. That's how it was for the partner of any cop. That knock at your home when they were on duty. In the middle of the day or the night. The boss or a close colleague come to tell you the news of the worst sort. The kind they knew if they gave it some rational thought had a small chance of happening. The kind you never really prepared yourself for hearing when you moved in with or married a cop. The kind drove some so crazy with worry, it put stress on relationships and ended more than a few. A fear impossible to live with, made the cop impossible to live with.

Made no difference how small the odds were of serious injury or death and for some, the worry and stress never went away. Though Ross doubted that was a factor in the decision Goren had made and which he had called him about that very morning. He set aside momentary speculation on why Bobby and Caro had yet to marry and whether that was even their intention. Just wondered as he rounded the sixteen wheeler whether _IAD _were ahead of him or not.

_**ER, The Jamaica Street Hospital, Queens**_

Logan saw the two guys from _IAD_ before they saw him. Patrickson he knew, had even worked with the guy during the Lessiter case but he could probably forget any past friendliness between them. Mike handed back the mostly drunk cup of coffee to the nurse he gave a wink to and stepped across to a small room opposite.

"Logan" nodded Neil Patrickson as he shut the door not even bothering to introduce his short and dour looking partner.

Mike removed his gun from its holster and placed it on the table along with the spare clip he'd shifted to the pocket of his pants.

"_Sour face"_ put on gloves, clicked the clip from the butt of the _Sig Sauer_ and began to count rounds.

"Where's the victim Detective?" enquired Patrickson.

"Which one Neil? My partner the son of a bitch hit with a baseball bat and drew a gun on? Or the son of a bitch I shot?"

Logan saw Neil Patrickson's jaw clench as he gritted his teeth and the faint flush he maybe got his priorities wrong.

"How is Bobby Goren?"

"Getting an x ray"

"Jives" growled the shorter man.

To Mike he sounded almost disappointed. That the numbers of bullets tallied with the number had Logan signed from the armoury. Minus two. One they would find in the wall of Bolt's office and one he assumed the docs would dig out of his upper arm. They'd be digging two out of his chest and most likely in the morgue if it were not for Goren. Standing in front of that window he'd created too big a shield. Would have been too easy to hit him by mistake. So Logan had aimed left when he fired at Leonard Bolt.

_**The Radiography Department, Jamaica Street Hospital, Queens**_

Captain Ross spoke briefly with the doctor who had checked the images of Goren's right shoulder. Damn lucky apparently nothing was broken. Would be stiff and sore for a week but as he stepped into the small exam room Danny was relieved.

Goren should have no trouble holding his son or daughter. Only the kind of trouble Ross could remember so well himself when his eldest son was born. That awkwardness to hold a baby right, like they showed you, that minor panic each time you picked them up you would drop them or hold them too tight and hurt them that way. That sense of disappointment when your touch either seemed to set them off wailing or failed to still the cries was the reason to pick them up in the first place. And at this distance of time, Ross had no idea when those feelings wore off and it seemed like you had been holding your baby all your life.

"Bobby?" he said with a frown.

Goren was perched on an exam table flipping through his folder and trying to get a book to stay open. A process made awkward by how he was favouring his right arm the doctor had said was still very numb from the blow it took.

"Oh...um Captain. I was..."

"Shut up" Ross said kindly.

Goren reached clumsily for his shirt as Danny went round to the side. Across the area of his shoulder blade a welt as wide as the Missouri was forming. In the redness you could almost see the bat maker's name appearing in the blue and purple tinges.

"Did you call Caro?"

"Yes sir" said Goren softly. "They are okay"

Was kind of embarrassing to have your boss help you dress. No-one had really done that since he was four years old. He picked up the vial of painkillers from the table and slipped them into his pocket as Ross buttoned the shirt. Just grateful for two things. That the Captain never offered to _"tuck it in"_ his pants and that Caro and the baby were fine. Understood why Ross sent someone to their house. If she were the sort listened to local radio or TV news stations, she could have picked up a report of a shooting at the school and feared for him. Those stations were like vultures. Literally circling the city in choppers and there had been one hovering by the time the ambulance arrived at the school. And Caro staying home, whatever her inclinations to have Megan drive her if she wanted, was best. Goren knew he'd only be worrying about her and the possibility the baby might decide to come suddenly while they were stuck out in Queens.

"You up to speaking to _IAD_ Bobby?"

"Yes and I'd like to..."

"Then you are going home and do not _but_ me this time Goren"

"No sir" Bobby paused "Though there..."

"And _though_ is not acceptable either" Ross snorted.

He could see the frustration on his Detective's face.

"Just answer me two things Bobby. Why the hell did you chase after a guy who was fast becoming your prime suspect and who you knew had a history of violent reaction?"

"I...um...I wasn't...I was going to ask him for access to the computer lab. Where they have net access? To check something out"

"What happened to that very expensive Wi-Fi laptop you were issued with?"

"Um...it was in the SUV...when...er...Mike and a _Chevy _van happened to it Captain"

Ross blinked slowly in a moment of intense frustration.

Goren hesitated a second or two "And the second thing?"

"Did Logan yell a warning to Bolt before he shot him?"

"Yes sir" Bobby lied without hesitation or _"tell"._

Logan had not called a warning, there was no time and Mike knew he had not. But as Logan drove him to the ER, Bobby had made sure they cleared their lines on that matter. It was a righteous shoot in the urgency of the circumstances and he had no intention of _"negotiating_" with Bolt either. He'd have made the call as he shot him himself. There were times in your life you saw your priorities very clearly. And there was no reason to make things any more complicated for IAD than they needed to be.

_**The Male Locker Room, SVU**_

"What's up Finn?" frowned Stabler as he let Alex Eames go ahead into the Squad Room to begin the preparation for the interview with Eddie Beal.

Tutuola, who had given him a nod, closed the door.

"I was just speaking to a buddy of mine. There was shooting over that _Washington School_ a while back"

Stabler's mind raced "Not Goren? Or Mike?"

"Nah. Logan wounded some nut who was attacking Bobby. He's okay. They both are. Best my buddy can find out anyway"

"So why are you telling me?"

"So you can tell the boss. Or stop her finding out" shrugged Tutuola "Up to you pal. Do what you think is best"

With that he left. Elliot decided to take a pee. Trying to flush scorn at the same time as urine. Empty his head of the thought Eames should _"let go"_ of bloody Goren as fast as he was emptying his bladder. Of course she would be concerned about her former partner or Logan. He'd heard that himself when they spoke on the phone about the traffic _"accident"_ earlier. Same as he would still worry about Liv. Correction. Same as he _did_ still worry about Liv even though they had not spoken in months. He had gotten the news via a mutual friend her latest round of artificial insemination had worked and she was about six weeks pregnant though had yet to announce that officially.

Elliot went to wash his hands. Still unsure about two things. Whether to keep that information from Lieutenant Eames or at least try to. And whether he should have made a different decision last year. That night Liv had urged him to leave the rubber on the side and for him to give her what she so badly wanted and now some anonymous donor had done.

_**To be continued...**_

_**AN:**__ The "Lessiter Case" happened during "_Death's Eternal Cold"


	27. Chapter 27

**Thursday 18****th**** June**

_**Interview Room 2, SVU**_

Alex had stifled a groan when Mark Franklin arrived to act as public defender for Eddie Beal. He was one of the Franklins from Franklin & Levi, the company of private lawyers Ron Carver had worked at for a couple of years. Yale or maybe Princeton educated, he was doing _"his bit"_ for society. Working in a job for which he did not need the money and cutting his legal teeth at the sharp end of the law. Before he moved to the firm his grandfather founded and the rich clients and comfortable existence until he was made a full partner. There was part of her accepted that even scumbags deserved the best available defence and despite assumptions, not every one at that office was an _"also ran"_ in the legal stakes. An attitude and knowledge she supposed she had picked up through a mixture of experience and from living with Jack. It was not true she switched off when McCoy went on one of his _"rants"_ about the system. They were in equal measure about its strengths and its deficiencies.

As she entered the room which was muggy with the humidity of a probable storm, Eames said nothing about Elliot being in shirtsleeves and flexing those tattoos with the tension or anger or whatever was built up in him. You went with whatever the local custom was and she supposed she should once and for all _"get by"_ the greater formality applied at _Major Case._ For one thing they had decent air con and for another, Stabler's style and demeanour was probably one Beal could better relate to.

To their mutual credit, neither Stabler nor Franklin created problems with each other as the former laid out the evidence for the two charges they intended to press on. The lawyer did not query the ample evidence, including that of eyewitnesses, that Beal had evaded a car was obviously a properly identifiable police vehicle. Nor on the _"handling stolen"_ when Elliot presented them with a court acceptable finger print match on one of the zippers of Judy's backpack.

"Which brings us neatly to your connection with a raped and shot sixteen year old Eddie" Eames continued.

Beal looked to his lawyer who nodded.

"I bought those things from a guy in a bar"

"Same bar where you sold them to Juan Roberts?" sneered Stabler. "Does anyone ever buy a drink in that place?"

"And what can my client expect in exchange for that information?" enquired Franklin.

"Nothing" said Eames opening another folder.

She removed it and turned a picture to face the two men the far side of the table.

"For the tape I'm showing Mr Beal and his lawyer a photograph. Taken this afternoon in the rear of his vehicle. Can you see the luminol pattern Mr Beal?"

"Yes" he muttered.

"This shows blood evidence in your _Chevy_"

"I deliver meat sometimes"

Eames turned to Elliot "Maybe we should add a violation of public safety laws on the transport of food Detective? Did you see any sign of proper refrigeration in that van?"

"No ma'am"

Franklin sighed "Can we cut to the chase Alex?"

"Sure" she smiled as she leaned over the table. "Just to give you the heads up Eddie? The lab matched a patch of blood you missed in the corner to the same type as the victim. And the pattern is consistent with pooling. We also have a piece of denim turned up at the rear of West 38th. With blood also matches Judy Morley and that of a fireman we think you shot when he interrupted you dumping the body"

"I never shot no fireman!" he squawked. "Nor the girl"

"Then why was she in your truck?" demanded Elliot.

"I lent it to someone"

"Same guy you bought her things from I suppose" scoffed Eames.

"You got it lady"

"We've also got this..." she pushed another two pictures in front of them. "This fish scale is from a red mullet. The lab found several in the van. Along with one on the denim and others on Judy's clothes"

"I expect a lot of vans move red mullet around the city" shrugged Franklin.

"Perhaps they do Mr Franklin. What I'm wondering though is how many also have traces of motor vehicle oil and other substances found in a body shop. The same sort also found on Judy's clothes. And before you answer that, I'd give some thought to how a jury might respond to this evidence. Especially when we tidy Juan Roberts up, forget charges against him and put him on the stand to verify it was you who sold him the dead girl's possessions"

Franklin gave his client a hard look as Eames removed the pictures.

"Two counts of murder are quite different to your previous offences Eddie" Elliot threw in. "Add to that kidnap and rape and..."

"And I did not do that!" protested Beak. "None of it"

"And if the gun turns up at your place?" asked Eames.

"It won't"

"What did you do with it?" she shot back.

"Nothing I never..." he trailed off with a glance at Mark Franklin.

"What options does my client have here Lieutenant? I'm sure we can come to some arrangement"

"Right now?" she snorted "None. The choice is between sitting here and saying nothing and a trip to arraignment court.

Stabler leaned back in his seat "You know our real problem right now Eddie? Fact is neither the Lieutenant here nor I really think you murdered Judy Morley. Your problem is we've got enough evidence to convince a jury you did. That and the other problem"

"What other problem?" frowned Franklin.

"What the person or people who really did it will do to Eddie if they find out or believe he talked" smiled Eames. "I'm sure we can persuade the DA not to oppose bail. Then open a book on how long it will be before your client turns up in an alley with a three fifty seven in his skull. My money is on less than twenty four hours"

"Perhaps we should let them talk it over boss?" suggested Stabler as he made to stand up.

"Okay" sighed Beal "But I want protection"

"We'll worry about your sorry ass when we hear what comes out of your sorry mouth Eddie" muttered Eames.

Elliot hid a slight smile behind his hand.

_**The Parking Lot, Jamaica Hospital, Queens**_

It was impossible to tell Ross decided. Whether Patrickson and his buddy were disappointed there did not seem to be a case against Mike Logan for shooting Bolt or not. As cops working _Internal Affairs_ it must be difficult at times. That desire was in them all to solve a puzzle and close a case balanced against the fact, for them, it would always involve a brother or sister officer. Someone who did the whole service no favours by their own criminality and corruption.

It helped that Bolt himself, given initial treatment and awaiting surgery later, had not denied the events as Goren and Logan had described them. Never denied whacking Bobby or pulling a gun on him. He was not saying why and really Bolt's motivation for his actions was not really an issue. No doubt he was _"saying nothing"_ on that for fear of further incriminating himself in the matter of Justin Toomey's death. He had no recall of whether Logan shouted a warning or not and in circumstances all three agreed took place over a matter of seconds. That was not unusual in those situations.

_IAD_ were sufficiently satisfied at this stage not to suspend Logan though he would have some form filling to do at 1PP. As well as them testing his weapon before he was allowed back on the street or to work the case. Though Ross doubted his own problem was one Patrickson paid much attention to. How he was potentially screwed on this case if he had one detective suspended and the other either unfit or in the delivery room come tomorrow morning.

As he turned from speaking to the two _IAD_ guys, Goren and Logan were looking through some stuff on the hood of Bobby's _Focus._

"I'll drive Bobby home boss" Mike offered shoving some paper in his pocket.

"No you won't. You'll go back to 1PP to fill out the paperwork with Neil" Ross tossed him the keys to his own car. "And you will drive very slowly and very carefully the whole way. You will not stop for coffee, you will not assist SVU or anyone else in hot pursuit, you will not pass go and if you do you'll go directly to jail. Understood?"

"Yeah" Mike smothered the grin as he headed for the Captain's _Mercury _parked in the next row. "Call you later Bobby"

"Well get in Goren" muttered Ross going to the driver's side "I don't have all day"

Goren wriggled the fingers of his right hand to which sensation was returning. He was almost certain he heard Ross mutter _"nightmare"_ as they got in the car.

_**Interview Room 2, SVU**_

"The next thing I knew Torres pulls a freaking gun on me and tells me to do as he says or else"

"Who else saw this?" asked Eames.

"That brother of his...Enrique...bit of a retard...and one of his guys...Luis I think he's called"

Beal took a sip of water between telling his tale. Jesus Torres ran a body shop in East Harlem. In reality as much chop shop as legitimate repair business and Beal had shifted _"hot"_ parts around the city for him for almost a year. Last Saturday afternoon he got a call out of the blue from Torres demanding he go right then to _"move something for him"._ And when you knew one of his last drivers ended in hospital with two broken kneecaps when they had a disagreement you didn't argue. As Eddie explained he'd been taken to the office area at the back of the shop and been shown the dead body of Judy Morley, Eames knew that Finn and John who had been observing the interview would be busy.

Checking out the rap sheet for this Jesus Torres and discovering what NYPD knew about this shop on East 122nd.

"Torres didn't trust me to do the job myself" Beal went on as Stabler concluded part of the guy's motivation might have been to incriminate Eddie as well.

"He came with me. I was unloading the....her...um...the body at the back of 38th when we heard a noise. Like footsteps? We waited and then Jesus went down the alley to look see. Grabbed some rag from the back of the van. Then I hear a thump and that maniac comes running back laughing. Says he just shot a guy still had his pecker out. Shoved...I closed the back door of the vehicle and it was Jesus drove us out of there. When we got to the corner he stopped and waited. Maybe he was looking for the girl...reckoned it sounded like high heels...anyway then he drove to where you found the body"

"What happened to the gun?"

Beal shrugged at Eames "He never gave it to me. Just said to put a brick in her bag and toss it in the river on the way home"

"And instead you decided to make a few bucks. After all your shock and horror at what went down"

Stabler could not keep the disgust from his voice.

"I guess that just leaves us with the formal statement" said Franklin with a glance at his watch.

Eames stood up "Got tickets for the _Met_ or the _Lincoln Centre_ tonight Mr Franklin?"

"Yankees" he murmured.

"Maybe you'll make it there in time for the seventh innings stretch" she muttered as she left the room.

_**Office of The Executive ADA**_

Jack McCoy rolled around the door frame as Casey Novak left the room.

"The Smith case" Carver clarified from his desk. "Nasty business"

"Never worked _Special Victim's_ did you Ron?"

"Never had that pleasure"

"Take it you are making sure we get first bite at that bastard?"

"If we can get enough witness testimony. So far only one girl we spoke to has parent's willing to follow it through"

"Can't blame them for that" shrugged McCoy as he went to the window. "Would you want your daughter testifying to what she got up to?"

"Probably not" Carver steepled his fingers. "And do I take it from that _first bite_ remark you've decided to run again? I'm guessing the trial date could well co-inside with any announcement or the start of the campaign"

Jack laughed "No fooling you is there Counsellor? Won't deny it crossed my mind. Problem for you?"

"You know that's not the case Jack. Not this time"

McCoy had a fairly strong suspicion Carver might be thinking to election himself in the future. Their unspoken pact not to run against each other was holding up meantime and he had not fully decided what he was going to do. Some of that depended on Al. Her answer to the question he had not found chance to ask her yet and how they might see what could be their future.

"How you fixed in the morning?"

"Nothing I can't put off" Ron glanced at his day planner on the desk.

"Good. Just had a call from Miles Rosberg"

"He heard about the incident at the school"

"Naturally. But what is focussing his mind right now is that the General is due back in the city tomorrow"

"And he'd like to serve up this....this..." Carver flipped some paper on his desk. "Captain Bolt's head on a plate for him"

"Something like that. I called Danny Ross. Various labs to do but it seems like Bobby and Mike Logan have enough to formally interview him tomorrow. If Bobby is fit and even if's he's not, I'd like you there"

"Fine. I take it we will press on the assault?"

"Up to you Ron. But I'm sure I know where you stand on men take a baseball bat to a cop and then point a gun at him. I'll leave you to it then? Get back to my desk"

Carver watched him go. Then picked up his phone. First chance he'd had to see how Caro was doing.

_**To be continued...**_


	28. Chapter 28

**Thursday 18****th**** June**

_**St Luke's Place, Greenwich Village**_

To Goren, Caro looked absolutely fine when he got home. Especially wonderful on this particular day when he'd briefly stared down the barrel of a gun. Even if she did feel hot and sticky as he gave her a hug and the skies outside quickly darkened. He guessed she was probably controlling the instinct to ask a lot of questions, demand to see any injuries and making herself play it calmly. Not for her sake or that of their baby, but for his. To keep his level of concern about them as low as possible. Otherwise they could spin into what she once called a _"spiral of mutually fed anxiety"_. When two people became so concerned for each other it began to get destructive as each questioned or undermined the others ability to deal with things as a rational, emotionally mature adult. And you forgot what the original problem was and failed to deal with it.

As the first rumble of thunder sounded he'd got as far as the shower, preceded by a grimace in the mirror at the state of his back. Not at how bad it looked but how twisting to see made it feel worse. So he took one of the pills the doc gave him before he stepped in and was enjoying the massaging effect of the jet of hot water. When he sensed the door open, a hand take his side for balance and then Caro behind him. Running her hand once and gently over the bruising before he felt her tongue run up a section of his spine. Then her fingers rubbing the last of the soapy water into the small of his back before they caressed over the top of his butt and round to his hips. Holding him there as her mouth and tongue played over his back.

"What are you doing?" he asked thinking it a dumb question to ask and knowing he should just enjoy it.

"Seducing you Rob" she replied. "Like in the movies they show on afternoon TV? Where the hero gets beaten within an inch of his life but in the next scene forgets busted ribs and lacerations to make out all night with the female lead"

Goren smiled to himself. He'd often found that so darn ridiculous himself.

"I think we should cancel that cable subscription Caro"

He turned around, took her face in his hands and kissed her softly. Tilting their heads out of the flow of water so they should not half drown themselves as the kiss deepened. His left hand letting go as he ran it wetly over her body. Not noticing how different it's shape or feel. Just responding to whose body it was. The whole package.

"So can you forget?" she smiled.

"We'll see"

He turned off the water, took her hand and led her to their bed.

_**Interview Room 1, SVU**_

Eames half listened from the observation alley as a twitchy David Okinwala told his story to Tutuola and Munch. He was lucid but also suffering from the effects of coming down from the prolonged _"high"._ Something Finn was making good use of each time he hesitated to answer a question fully or evaded. Or more often went off on an irrelevant side track had his court assigned lawyer checking her watch. _Maybe she had a hair appointment or was due for a wax?_

It was the vial of pills Tutuola would toss from hand to hand or shove in his pocket before withdrawing it again that kept Okinwala focussed. Did not need a verbal threat to withhold them. Just that look from Finn told him the pain would last longer and the way to stop it was in his own hands. Or rather his mouth and whatever was in that fried brain of his. A sick looking Will Saunders had identified him as the guy he met in the alley and of course the 22 revolver recovered matched his description of the gun which was pointed at him on Saturday morning. The kid was like a puppy dog looking for approval afterwards or maybe thinking he could slide out from under his own crimes in this matter. If so, he did not know the District Attorney for New York.

Jack had a very clear view on the people who really did know right from wrong and the way they should act. His liberal inclination never stretched so far as to seeing everyone ill educated or poor or disadvantaged in some way as a helpless puppet in the deal society had thrown at them. Self determination and responsibility played a part. Eames had left a message with his secretary not to expect her very early that night, though as David gave them the same address as Beal for where he went with that _Porsche_, it was practicality more on her mind.

The file in front of her told her of the record Jesus Torres had for vehicle related crime but it was the histories of his known associates which worried her more. Torres had close links to and had possibly been set up in business by _"Los Cuatro Jinetes"_ a notorious gang in the area. It explained why when he owed them money Okinwala took the first chance of some work from his distant cousin. Must have jumped with joy when he saw that _911_ and the opportunity to clear his debt with _"The Four Horsemen"._

Eames knew enough from information gleaned from _Vehicle Crime _and the _Gang Unit_ they could be walking into a lot of firepower on 122nd Street. A location slap bang in the middle of the blocks _"Los Cuatro"_ still controlled, whatever the Mayor said at press conferences.

She turned as Okinwala confirmed he _"jus ditched de bitch" _with the car and Cragen entered the space. Alex clicked off the sound to the next room.

"Bad news Alex" the Captain murmured. "We've got no chance of SWAT support until after ten pm"

Eames took a deep breath "On account of the Israeli Prime Minister addressing the UN?"

Cragen nodded. A large part of the East side of Manhattan had been going into virtual shut down for days. Secret agent types taping manholes that had been lifted for searches and the PD under orders to remove any and all regular vagrants from inside a fifteen block radius.

"But we did get lucky. Seems _Narco _have an undercover guy working the patch. He'll put it round our friend here got lifted for dealing on the West side. Try to reduce any chance of Torres making a run for it. And the locals will mount a covert on his home address overnight"

"Guess that's something. And it should be an easier operation in daylight"

"You still want to take him down at the body shop?"

"Yes. It seems most likely that's where Judy was shot and I don't want to give anyone a chance to make sure it goes up in flames before we get there. Hopefully we can match dust and dirt composition to what was found on her clothes"

The Captain switched the sound back on. Okinwala was insisting the girl was alive when he left the body shop but all of what he was saying was accompanied by the microphone picking up the rattle of those pills.

_**St Luke's Place, Greenwich Village**_

The sound Goren made in response to Caro's slight shift of position was lost under the boom of a thunderclap. One simply intensified his enjoyment as the room was almost in darkness because of the storm. Just the steady forks of lightening to illuminate their love making. Both of them lost in the sensations from the other and indifferent to the plight of all those commuters getting soaked as the evening rush began.

Water pouring down drains and pipes as for a brief moment he tried to avoid surrender to the inevitable. Before concluding there were times when capitulation was certain and better to go with it and enjoy it. Meet it rejoicing and with gladness not with regret and guilt. There was fine line between pain and pleasure, between lust and love but he knew which he felt as he crossed over it. Emotion and physical sensation combining and washing over him as rain washed over the sidewalks. The endorphins in his brain responding to the nerve endings in his body. Made the years he'd waited for this worth it. Made him whole in every sense.

_**Major Case Squad Room**_

Logan put down his phone with a frown. The line was still busy at Bobby's place. _How was he to know Caro had discretely taken it off the hook as she and an equally dripping wet Goren had close to tumbled onto their bed?_

"I can try later if you wish Mike" offered Ron Carver who was sitting in Goren's usual chair.

"No that's okay. I'll need to see how he's doing. Brief Megan if he's not in any shape to come with us in the morning. And there's something I might check out on the way home he'll want to know the answer to"

Logan gestured to the sheet of paper in a plastic file. One he and Bobby had _"translated" _using Mrs Bolt's copy of _Huckleberry Finn_ just before they parted company at the hospital. The one found in her husband's shoebox.

Ron turned to his own notes "The finding of Justin's history essay in Bolt's desk is very strange"

"I know" said Logan as he twitched slightly and hoped the lightening conductors at _1PP _were sound. "Why not get rid of it if that was the excuse he used to keep the Toomey boy back after the game? Could be that was why he went rushing to his office this afternoon. Suddenly remembered he'd left incriminating evidence where it might be found?"

"There's very little incriminating about his prints being on the jar of pecan puree Mike. Not when it was in the pantry of his own home"

"Any chance you can make any headway about that Trust Fund before morning Ron?"

Logan had confirmed quite quickly the Captain was indeed one of the _"Hays and Bolt"_ Bolts. But the lawyer he'd named as going to be present next morning was one from a strictly criminal practice.

"I may know someone" replied Carver with that mysterious air lawyers could put on and which so annoyed Logan. "If it's that important"

"The size of it might give us a clue how much he wanted to avoid divorce as a solution to his marital problems. When he failed to catch Trixie with her panties off"

"_In flagrante delicto"_ shrugged Ron "Caught in the very act"

"And there's me thinking that was Britney Spears' new perfume"

"Who?" frowned the lawyer.

Took Logan a moment to realise he was joking. But then he still had to finish up with _IAD_ before he left tonight. With luck the storm might be over by then. Mike knew thunder and lightning was an irrational if minor fear for a man of his age and occupation. But then he'd grown up in an Irish family. Where his grandmother turned mirrors to the wall at such times and prayed the rosary.

_**SVU**_

Eames shifted an empty container of Chinese food off the plan of the body shop Jesus Torres ran. With luck the one lodged with the city engineers was still accurate. It was something of a rabbit warren even before further changes might have been made and even with the sort of armour and firepower a SWAT unit could bring down, it could be a tricky operation. Not just to secure suspects but to do so safely if there were guns on the premises.

For thinking that all through she was grateful to Elliot, getting ready to leave on the other side of the room. No question his experience gained in the military had been helpful to formulate a plan and while he'd said little she might not have thought of, you were wise to play to your strengths.

"You going to be long Lieutenant?" he asked.

"No and thanks Elliot"

He looked momentarily coy and gestured to the plan and the map "Nothing"

"I didn't mean that" Eames said quietly. "I mean how you kept from me the shooting in Queens until after we'd interviewed Eddie Beal"

"I didn't"

"You did and just be grateful I assumed the best motives in doing it"

Stabler knew what she meant. How she might have taken it as an insult. That she could not hack it by virtue of her emotional attachment to Bobby Goren. Or at worst, because of her gender. Allowed it to interfere with her game.

"How did you find out?" Elliot frowned "And when?"

"Never you mind Detective. It pays to keep some cards up your sleeve"

"See you boss" he almost smiled as he made for the door.

_**St Luke's Place, Greenwich Village.**_

Caro was hanging up the wall phone in the kitchen as Goren wandered, still yawning into the room.

"Who was that?" he asked slightly embarrassed by how long he'd remained asleep.

"Mike. Said to tell you he'll check out _Bridgewater_ whatever that is, that Ron might have an in to Bolt's Trust Fund managers and he made a get away from _IAD _eventually. You hungry?"

"Mmm" he smiled the silly smile of the fully satisfied in other ways as he sat at the counter and watched her rustling something up.

"And of course he asked how you were. Told him you were very, very good. That you always are Rob but just need to sleep it off a little at your age"

Goren almost choked on the coffee he'd picked up. It never followed with Caro she was only joking about stuff like that.

_**To be continued...**_


	29. Chapter 29

**Friday 19****th**** June**

_**Vestry Street, Soho**_

McCoy was still sitting at the kitchen table in his shorts, eating eggs and looking for his reading glasses as Eames prepared to leave.

"They're on your head Jack" she told him not for the first time as he slid out the sports section of the paper.

He knew why she was leaving so early. To hold a meeting with SWAT before they _"took down"_ the occupants of this chop shop and the killer or killers of two people. You could not do his job without knowing certain things and without needing to ask Al when she got home last night.

And for the first time McCoy had a horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach. Of course he knew she was potentially at risk many days she walked out that door. But this was the first time he knew for sure how much in advance. It was proving to be a very uncomfortable feeling to live with and knew it was one he would just have to get used to. Whatever else happened he knew that was the one thing he could not, dare not ask of Alex. To transfer out of the front line or even consider quitting to make him feel better_. Perhaps that was why he'd always avoided relationships with cops until her?_ And it wasn't like his track record with women in other occupations had worked out successfully. With Julie's Mom, he could almost date the decline in their relationship from the day she gave up work to raise their daughter.

He tried to sound casual "Thought maybe we'd go out for dinner tonight?"

"Fine. No reason I should be late. But please nowhere fancy? Not some place I need to get dressed up for or shave my legs before I can put on a dress"

McCoy smiled "How about _The Pesto Place_?"

It was a neighbourhood Italian where they could usually get a table with no trouble.

"Sounds good" she gave the top of his head a quick kiss and was gone.

His stomach lurched again but perhaps that was in anticipation of what he planned to ask Al tonight. When she came home fine and safe and dandy. McCoy made a mental note to remember to take the ring from its place of safekeeping in his desk at work.

_**St Luke's Place**_

Caro sat at the counter in a thin cotton bathrobe barely met over her belly. Just grateful that the storm had left behind cooler air and as he cooked them pancakes, Rob was moving fairly easily. His back had a vivid black and purple line across one side and she just agreed with him as he urged her to contact _Bellevue._ Even if it was only to speak to Kim, the midwife they were hoping would take primary responsibility for delivering the baby. To re-assure them, for which read_ him_, before the weekend.

She shifted a little on the seat, asked him to just leave it at two for her and said nothing. Something felt _"different"_ this morning. Not pain and none of the other _"symptoms"_ she could remember by heart from the book, the classes and relayed to her by every woman she knew had a baby. Just _"different"_ though that could be down to her getting the best night's sleep she had in a long time.

And the last thing she was about to do was to say anything to Rob. With some things, the less men knew the better. And with some men total ignorance was best for them. He was one of them. But she loved for him for that and for those fluffy pancakes he was sliding out the pan.

_**The Bridgewater Hotel, Queens**_

Logan parked his _Mercury _and went into reception. Not sure in the end whether it was his charm or his badge got the sleepy night clerk to check the electronic register and print him off selected sections.

"Could you describe the lady or anyone she was with?" he asked folding the sheets of paper into his jacket pocket.

"No" the woman yawned. "I work nights. Have done for years"

"Anyone who could...?"

"Maybe one of the housekeeping staff but they don't arrive for another hour. Or Colin the day clerk?"

"When..."

"Another hour" she muttered.

Logan stepped outside to call Goren. Then seeing a diner the other side of the street, decided to wait it out there and get some breakfast.

_**The Triborough Bridge**_

Eames sat in her car with Elliot at her side. They were parked up on a piece of city ground almost under the ramps to the bridge. Waiting for everyone to arrive for the final briefing and for half a plain clothes SWAT team and two guys borrowed from the _Gang Unit,_ where they bred them almost as tough, to get into place. To secure certain positions and vantage points in the area around the chop shop. Getting in was one thing. Getting out had the potential to be almost, if not more dangerous, if _"Los Cuatro"_ decided Jesus Torres was worth fighting for. Or they just felt like shooting at the cops today.

She watched Finn and John arrive just behind the CSU team should follow them in once everything was secure. Seeing Jimmy Antonelli and Jill Quinell get out of the SUV was re-assuring. They were good. If there was anything to find they would find it. But Alex felt less sanguine the moment she saw them begin to don vests.

"That's the last" said Stabler as a large GMC pulled up and a group of uniformed SWAT bailed out like they were preparing to invade a small Central American country.

Eames got out of the car and spread the maps and plan on the hood as everyone gathered around. As she relayed the details and the assignments agreed earlier with the leader of the SWAT team who should already be in position, Stabler passed round copies of Jesus Torres' mug shot. He was the one they must not let get away. According to Beal he was the one who had shot Pete Allen, the fire fighter without a second thought. To stop him being any kind of a witness to the first attempt to dump Judy's body. But they only had hearsay from this Luis character via Eddie Beal, that it was also Jesus who had raped Judy in the rear of the workshop. Then shot her four hours later when he went back for seconds and she resisted him.

As everyone returned to their vehicles, Stabler tossed her a vest from the back seat of the car. And like all the other men with sense and experience, removed his tie before donning his own. When you were expecting real resistance the last thing you gave people like Torres and his crew was the potential means to grab hold and choke you.

_**The Fourth Floor, Jamaica Street Hospital, Queens**_

Goren watched Ron Carver and another guy might as well be wearing a label said _"lawyer"_ step out of the elevator. They seemed to be discussing some _Bar Association_ picnic as they approached. But as soon as the introductions were made Randall Perkins was all business.

"Is my client under arrest Detective?"

"Not yet" replied Goren mildly.

"In that case I'd like to speak with him first"

"Be my guest" he shrugged with a glance at Ron Carver.

As the door to 415 closed they had their own conference.

"Mike's going to be a little late. Needs to speak to a witness at a local hotel. Could...um...could you lead on this one Ron?"

"You feeling okay Bobby?"

"Fine. Just I would like to...um...I'd like to just watch for a bit"

Carver frowned "If there's something else I should know Detective maybe you'd like to tell me. You know I don't like surprises"

Goren gave an impression from his body language the _Exec ADA_ had nothing to fear. Though in reality he knew that depending on what Mike came up with, they might well have a surprise.

"Did you get anywhere on Bolt's financials?"

"As a matter of fact I did" Carver removed small leather bound notebook from his jacket. "The Trust Fund is worth amount ten million. So you can see the Captain has every reason to avoid a divorce without cast iron proof of his wife's adultery. And there is no pre-nup would help him. Or her come to that"

"So why kill her assumed lover?" said Goren with half a smile. "Why not her?"

"Her gay lover" Carver added. "Though from what Mike told me, Bolt did not know that"

"I don't believe anyone did. Not even Mrs Bolt who confessed to...um...certain sexual contact with Justin"

Carver raised one eyebrow at the slight hint where this might be going after all.

"There is one other clause in the Trust Fund. Something to do with a problem when one of the previous generation of Bolts was institutionalised. In the event of Bolt being incapacitated by reason of mental or physical illness or otherwise unable to authorise expenditure from the Trust, half would come under the automatic control of his next of kin"

Carver paused.

"Did you hear what I said Bobby?"

"Oh yes Mr Carver"

As the door to Room 415 opened and Perkins gestured them in Ron had a sudden image come to mind as he followed Goren. One he once saw on TV with his kids and which upset his daughter who was quite young at the time. Of a killer whale tossing and playing with the body of a helpless seal pup. He had a feeling he would see something similar again before the day was out.

_**Office Of The Captain, Major Case Squad**_

Ross put down his phone and rose taking a folder from the pile in his in-tray. He stood for a moment at the door looking at two empty desks across the room. Faith Dempsey had done a great job in her time with them and Alex's departure had shown no effect on their overall solve rate and certainly not on Goren's. Even if he was _"unsettled"_ and prickly at times to begin with. But it still felt at times that spot was _"empty"_. That there was a void in the squad. And there would be a bigger one in every sense very soon.

It had been there for those six months Goren took extended leave and Ross supposed it would be there for the year he was going to be at the Academy. He had not totally understood what Bobby had meant when he called him yesterday morning to say he wanted to take up that offer. About how the next year was going to be a huge learning curve for him, which Ross had taken as reference to his impending fatherhood. And how he thought that teaching and learning might go well together. Never did understand half of what that man said, perhaps because he expressed himself very incoherently at times when the subject was himself.

But it made a kind of sense he supposed and Danny Ross had some time ago admitted privately to himself what his own _"problem"_ really was with Goren. It wasn't his unpredictability, his unorthodoxy or his lousy social skills at times. It was just how smart he was, how brilliant and how with more political savvy and a little more polish and ambition, Goren could beat him to the Chief of D's job with one hand tied behind his back. That was very intimidating for someone used to being _"the smartest boy in class"_ himself.

Ross shook himself mentally to cast off that gnawing sense of inferiority and any hint of sentiment about bloody Goren. He marched into the Squad Room to Bobby's desk but at the last moment thought better of it. Tossed the file with a mountain of forms about the wrecked SUV and the laptop onto Logan's desk. Let him deal with it.

As he turned away, Wheeler looked up from her computer wondering what it was the Captain had muttered under his breath.

_**To be continued...**_


	30. Chapter 30

**Friday 19****th**** June**

_**Torres Auto, East 122**__**nd**__** Street**_

The potential for something to go wrong doubled as they moved into position. In her earpiece Eames could hear one of the observers reporting four more men arriving and beginning to enter the front of the building. And from the description they were not social workers or Mormons on a mission. The type as Elliot braked hard behind the SWAT van, who were probably buyers or sellers of stolen auto parts and not likely to be _"co-operative". _

The sound of people coming in the rear, courtesy of bolt cutters and other implements, made them hesitate just over the threshold and the last, a kid in his early teens, found himself grabbed by the neck by one of the SWAT guys and passed roughly from him to Eames, to Stabler and finally to one of the guys from the _Gang Unit._ But as they shoved and jostled by the other three, it meant they had more bodies to keep under control and were one _"down"_ at the front of the building while the kid was cuffed and any escape prevented.

Inside, it took a moment for eyes to adjust to the relative gloom and officers were trying to avoid tripping over panels and tail pipes and welding gear as well as getting the occupants in the sights of their guns and doing as they were told. And the entry of the team with Munch and Tutuola from the rear forced three trying to flee that way back into the general melee. Add to that, everyone was yelling in a mixture of English and Spanish.

As she held her gun on one of the potential _"customers"_ Eames saw Munch get one to the floor who was yelling in a local accent _"No hablo Ingles"._ That just got him the reply _"Usted aprobo la examinacion en la escuela"._ John had done his homework and it looked to her like he'd collared this _"Luis"_ character. Meanwhile one of the _"customers"_ was having a gun removed from his waistband and Stabler had almost vaulted over the hood of an old Chrysler to grab someone making for some stairs.

"You Torres?" he barked hauling him from the first tread and flinging him against the wall.

"Si si" he yelped then was cut off by his midriff coming into violent contact with the opposite handrail.

"Like raping and killing little girls do we?" enquired Elliot as again he shoved the guy hard into it twice.

"Aaargh! No I never"

Eames gestured to the late arriving _Gang Unit_ member to cover her guy, moved quickly around and came up behind Stabler.

"Enough Elliot!" she yelled at him.

There was rage in Stabler's face as he turned to her and for a moment Alex feared she would end up levelling her gun at him to stop him.

"That's Enrique Torres..." Eames barked.

For a second she was about to use a very uncomplimentary term about her colleague. But she also stopped herself giving him the bawling out he deserved. That could wait for a better place and time. Time because there was suddenly one hell of a noise as Finn shoved aside some shelving laden with parts and tools and vanished. Eames followed.

That was when she realised that hidden behind it was a door not shown on the plans. Someone knew that and in the confusion ducked behind the shelving and made it out into the alley. Someone should have that covered against any rescue attempt or interference from _"Los Cuatro"._ She stepped out in time to see Finn wrestling with Jesus Torres for a large handgun. The SWAT guy, was actually a woman, helpless to do much for fear of shooting Tutuola as they twisted and turned. Eames found herself equally frustrated but reached for her baton as Finn and Torres were locked in some strange and desperate dance in the alley.

Then the gun went off and Torres fell back. Dropping the weapon, screaming and clutching at his groin as he hit the ground. Blood began to stain his pants as he squealed invective in a mix of languages. Eames watched as Finn went over, kicked the gun from his reach had to be the one that fired since his own was under his left armpit.

"Guess you won't be raping anyone for a while Jesus" he said quietly as he stood over him for a moment.

Then pulled his t shirt straight and returned inside the body shop.

From yells and via the earpiece, Eames was getting the word all was secured. She left it to the SWAT team member to call for the ambulance. She grabbed Torres' right hand and cuffed him to a support for the fire escape. That at least allowed him the left one to try to hold together his genitals as she wiped her hand on her pants and went back inside.

_**Room 415, Jamaica Street Hospital**_

Goren stood, back to the wall, by the door. Getting mild amusement from Ron's mild discomfort. By letting Randal Perkins into the room first, the lawyer had secured the over bed table for his papers and Carver was left the other side balancing his own on his briefcase or having to use the edge of the bed on which Captain Bolt was reclining. His right arm was in a sling and despite Perkins trying to buy his client some time, the doctor had confirmed he was well enough to be discharged.

It was also down to his lawyer, Goren had been forced to _"arrest"_ Bolt for the murder of Justin Toomey. He'd refused to answer any questions otherwise and was not exactly being fulsome in his responses anyway. So far Carver had laid out the _"motive"_ for him. The plentiful witness testimony to some kind of irregular _"relationship"_ between the boy and his wife. Including an admission to that effect from her. Goren had noted Bolt's ill disguised reaction to that. How his suspicion was confirmed at that moment and he could deny it all he liked Ron said. A jury would find it impossible to believe that in a community as insular as the school he had not heard at very least rumour. Probably more as they re-interviewed other witnesses who would now be less circumspect about what they saw or told him.

"_Means"_ of course was not restricted to Bolt. Everyone at the school knew of Toomey's allergy. But they only turned up pecan puree in one place after a close search of the entire premises yesterday afternoon. And that included trash cans and the grounds.

"Oh come, come Mr Carver" snorted Perkins "My clients fingerprints on a jar of this...substance found in his own home is hardly a smoking gun. And as to Mrs Bolt's recollection of how much was left in a jar...can your wife make a completely accurate estimate how much peanut butter or strawberry jelly is in your kitchen cupboard? Even assuming you can get a wife's testimony admitted"

Goren stirred to utter his first words "Mrs Bolt seemed very willing to help us"

Bolt shifted uncomfortably.

"Of course" smiled Carver like an amenable scorpion. "There is also your client's past history when it comes to his wife's suspected infidelity"

"You'll never get that one by a judge"

"May not have to Randall. I'm sure you will want to use witnesses to Captain Bolt's character. Moment you do his service record, including the reason for his discharge from the Army, will become fair game"

Goren stared back at Bolt as he was glowered at. Probably heard from Harriman of their past history and worked out how they got their hands on that gem so quickly and easily.

"Let's move on to opportunity shall we? The history essay you claimed Justin did not submit as reason to punish him. To ensure he was alone in the shower room. Found in your desk after you attacked Detective Goren"

"I did not put that there" said Bolt in his first voluntary statement as Ron placed it on the bed. "It was not in the file with the others when I...and besides...why would I keep it? If I intended to do something to Justin unfairly I would have destroyed it"

"So what happened to it?" asked Carver. "Where has it been?"

"I don't know"

"We also have testimony from the groundskeeper. He saw you leaving the locker room during the game. You claimed you were there the whole time. Was that when you substituted the bottle of shampoo?"

"I didn't"

"Did you or did you not leave the game?"

Bolt glanced at Perkins who nodded.

"Yes I did. I went to use the bathroom"

"You lied to the Detectives"

"I forgot" snapped Bolt. "Can you list every time you take a piss every day?"

That was addressed to Goren who knew the Captain had lied about the reason for his bathroom visit.

He shrugged "Probably not. But I would have used the facilities on the gym side of the block. Not gone around the far side"

"Force of habit" muttered Bolt "You were in the damned Army Goren. If you were out on the field did you use the gym side bathroom?"

Goren glanced at Carver with an admission he had a point. A point a jury would see when it was explained. Those rules were drilled into you. But it didn't explain the lie.

"Then there is another witness" Carver pressed on. "Who saw you returning to the gym block. When the cadets were back in class. All except Justin Toomey. What were you doing then? Maybe that was when you substituted the shampoo for the bottle you had tampered with? Or perhaps you were returning to see if he was dead yet? Or moving that bag contained the epipens might have saved his life?"

"I did not go back to the gym"

Bolt paused as Logan entered the room. Carver saw the look between him and Goren. One that said Mike had confirmed something they suspected.

"Where were you then?"

"In my office"

"Witnesses?"

"Alone grading the last of the history papers" snapped Bolt and adding with a gesture. "And that one was not there. I did not kill Justin Toomey"

"I believe you" said Goren mildly.

"And so do I" added Logan.

If the look from Ron Carver could have killed, the two of them would have been dead at that moment.

_**Torres Auto, East 122**__**nd**__** Street**_

The ambulance containing Jesus Torres, minus part of his penis but with John Munch for company, had long since gone from the scene. So had two secure vans. One heading for SVU with his brother Enrique, Luis and a third guy called Tony and the other for the _Gang Unit_ holding cells at _1PP_. The four _"buyers"_ all had such connections and at least one would be going down for that gun he pulled.

The one that Jesus had shot himself with in that struggle with Finn had the right calibre of ammo for the one had killed Judy Morley and Pete Allen. The lab would have to do a ballistics match and it was bagged ready to go. Along with other samples Jill and Jimmy were collecting. They had already found blood evidence in the rear section of the shop. Very little or very poor attempt to remove it and as Eames walked through there, Antonelli was marking and photographing what might be spatter on the side of a car.

A red _Porsche 911_ missing its plates and according to Elliot, all the parts carried the VIN number were either gone or it had been ground down. But there was enough to be sure it was the one belonging to Jed Saunders, including his club owners badge still in situ.

"Pretty dumb not to have moved it away from here" he muttered. "Torres surely knew how unreliable a guy like David was likely to be. Lead us right back here"

"Hardly matters" shrugged Eames "A word please Elliot?"

They stepped back through into the main part of the shop was empty of other personnel.

"If this is about..." Stabler began.

"Yes it is Detective" hissed Eames.

"Sorry I..."

"Sorry does not cut it! Which was it Elliot? Did you fail to acquaint yourself properly with the mug shots or did you just decide to beat up on a youngster with the mental age of a six year old?"

He stared back at her.

"So which was it? Failure to follow an instruction, incompetence or just your well known indignation and lack of self control getting the better of you? Again"

"I guess I'm screwed whatever I say"

"You will be" Eames said quietly. "You just used up your one chance with me Elliot. One more example like that and your feet won't touch the floor you'll be out the door so fast. Do I make myself crystal Detective?"

"Yes ma'am"

She pushed by him to the area at the rear calling for Tutuola to return to base with her. Leaving Stabler behind was both punishment and procedure. Punishment he would probably miss most of the interviews should close the case while he supervised the work on site. And procedure since Finn had a statement to make and IAD to deal with.

_**The Hallway, Fourth Floor, Jamaica Street Hospital**_

"Well?" demanded Carver.

Goren and Logan knew he wasn't asking about a hole in ground where you got water.

"We don't think he did it" shrugged Logan.

"I worked that one out Detective"

"We need him to tell us the truth" added Goren "About that visit to the bathroom and about Justin's bag"

They quickly explained why and shared with Carver what Logan had eventually discovered at the _"Bridgewater Hotel"._ The one with the same name as the English aristocrat in _"Huckleberry Finn"._ And how they needed Bolt's testimony in part to exonerate him and in part to find a last piece of the puzzle to who really killed Justin Toomey.

Carver heard them out before he spoke "I suppose it's too much to ask? That one day we can work just one case in a regular way?"

"Promise" grinned Logan crossing his heart.

Goren did not respond. Carver supposed that was probably asking too much of him. And in any case he wouldn't have to worry about Bobby for too much longer. With real luck he'd go to the Academy and never come back.

"Just one question" Carver frowned "And a straight answer please. What made you realise or suspect it wasn't Bolt?"

"Julie Christie and the number seven" replied Goren as he opened the door again.

It wasn't exactly what Ron was asking for.

_**To be continued...**_


	31. Chapter 31

**Friday 19****th**** June**

_**Squad Room, Major Case**_

Logan and Goren watched Captain Ross flip through their notes; a report from the lab and one quickly typed up and signed statement from Captain Bolt. He turned not to them but to Carver.

"There's a powerful argument Bolt is just saying this to save his own skin. Changing his story about the bag and why he went into the building during the baseball game. To help us throw suspicion elsewhere"

"I know Danny" Ron conceded. "But when you put it all together...we now have someone else saying it wasn't just Bolt went in there during the game and what he says about moving the bag is very plausible"

"That bang on the head Justin had" urged Logan. "There's medical evidence to support the notion that he fell, was stunned and that's what stopped him getting to his medication in time"

Ross had to admit that was true and the explanation Bolt had finally given did make some sense. He claimed that when he found Justin dead the thought he had been deliberately given a tree nut product by someone else was the last thought on his mind. His fear was that the kid had killed himself as the result of the affair with his wife. The Captain had eventually conceded he'd heard rumour of and seen enough _"suspicious"_ behaviour to think it was true. Either that or there had been some sort of hideous accident for which the school would be blamed. So he had finally admitted to moving the bag in a rushed attempt to minimise possible liability in the case of the latter, mixed with a confused effort to make the suicide possibility seem more likely.

Any possibility of Ross putting a stop to the plan was already in motion was rapidly and loudly cut short. By the arrival through the main door of The Chief of Detectives. Dick Nichols on this occasion, following in the wake of the booming voice of General _"Two Gun"_ Toomey demanding answers and the more modulated tones of Miles Rosberg.

Ross did what he was expected to do. Got them out from under the feet of his two detectives and steered them towards his office. A mission as he watched them go, Goren did not envy Captain Ross. They had _"enjoyed"_ more than their share of disagreements in the past and would probably have them in the future. Oil and water it was almost inevitable. And whatever he thought of Ross' deficiencies Goren had always given him credit, even if it was ungenerously muted at times, for the things he did do well. The pouring of the oil on troubled waters the Captain would now be doing and for his ability to bite his tongue and play politics when it suited him. Something Goren knew he could probably never do. In Danny's shoes he'd likely be telling Toomey his grandson's death was indirectly his fault. For being an unthinking bigot on the matter of sexual orientation and forcing the kid to hide his nature. But for that, Justin would still be alive.

His contemplation was cut short by a nudge from Logan. Goren turned to see Mrs Trixie Bolt come through the door with a uniformed officer. Sent to give her and others, the news that the Deputy Commandant was arrested for killing Justin and was being held in their cells. The second part was true anyway.

_**Squad Room, SVU**_

As John Munch came through the door he glanced at the fax machine and seeing the heading, waited. He removed the sheet, glanced at it and on his way to his desk went to the one in an out of the way corner.

"Lieutenant?"

Eames glanced up from her computer which was almost buried under the mountain of hard copy procedure, regulation and the law demanded.

"Ballistics?" she frowned.

"Yeah. They matched a slug from that cannon we took off Torres"

"Great. Thanks"

She read that they had triplets. The rifling on the test fire slugs a match for the other two. One taken from Judy's body and the second, almost too mangled by the time it went through a large part of a cheating fire fighters head.

It looked like they would have to let this Tony go on the matter of involvement with the killings. His alibi for Saturday afternoon was solid. He was in the delivery room at the hospital where his wife was giving birth to their second child. How much he might get to play _"Daddy"_ was another matter since it seemed likely his prints would turn up all over that chop shop. Not her immediate concern as they awaited further results before interviewing Luis and Enrique Torres. In his case the delay because they were waiting on an _"appropriate adult"_ and a public defender to be present during any conversation with him.

Another reason she was so angry with Stabler, regulation and simple decency aside. With his known learning disability, the chances were very high Enrique would implicate his brother to back up what they already had from Beal. Eames knew it was _"playing"_ on a weakness and _"using"_ the young man but you went with what you had. Now, thanks to that idiot, they could be facing an excessive force complaint and she would be speaking to a guy who would have a child's resentment built up in him and no reason to co-operate if discouraged from doing so by a social worker and lawyer.

"How's Torres?" she heard Tutuola enquire.

"Let's just say I wouldn't want to stand beside him while he takes a piss the rest of his life" muttered Munch in reply.

_**Interview Room 2, Major Case Squad.**_

Since she was now a material witness, Trixie Bolt had understood why they needed to take her prints for elimination purposes on things like the jar of pecan puree and why she needed to go _"on the record"_ with certain things.

"Aa guess folks will say this is all my fault" she sighed giving her fingertips a final wipe with a tissue.

"I guess it is" said Logan. "Did your husband ever confront you about your relationship with Justin?"

"Uhuh...well...when the rumours started going round he tolt me. Tuh stop making a fool of myself and risking Justin's future"

"But you didn't" observed Goren.

"No aam ashamed tuh say I did not. Aa regret it now of course"

"Of course" nodded Logan. "You had feelings for him"

"Aa did" she paused. "And aa didn't tell you the whole truth yesterday neither. Aa remembered. Lenny specially axed me to get that pecan stuff. About three weeks ago. Aa tolt him it was too hot tuh be baking pies but with Lenny...yuh don't say no to Lenny"

"He was abusive to you?"

"He never hit me none Mr Logan"

There was an unspoken hint of other things both Logan and Goren might have been inclined to believe of Bolt had she said more.

Mike passed her a copy of the paper covered in numbers found in Bolt's shoebox. "And this is how you and Justin arranged to meet up?"

"Uhuh. There was an old tree stump in the woods. This is a note Justin wrote me...aa thought...where'd y'all find this?"

"In your husband's closet"

"Shoot! Y'all mean he read this?"

"We don't believe so" shrugged Logan. "We worked out what book you and Justin used. But we don't think he did"

"Good some of they all were...kind of intermate if y'all get me?"

Goren sat chin in palm trying to remember what passages of _"Huckleberry Finn"_ could have offered the sort of words Trixie might have been inclined to use in _"intermate"_ love notes. Were he so inclined, he could think of several books might lend themselves more explicitly and graphically.

Logan smiled "Can you think back to that morning Mrs Bolt? Are you sure you saw nothing strange?"

Her face wrinkled a moment.

"Aa wouldn't call it strange Detective but as aa was laying on the hammock in the yard I did see Lenny coming out of the gym block. There all is a good view from our back yard"

"Yes I remember" conceded Logan. "Why is that strange?"

"I guess it isn't. Aa heard the kids cheering and looked up. Saw Lenny. Guessed he went to...um...wash his hands. Never thought nothing of it until...oh this is bad"

"And you are sure it was Captain Bolt?"

"Course aa'm sure schug. Hellfire who all else limps like that and he is my husband"

Goren responded to the knock at the door. Retrieved a sheet of paper delivered hot foot from the lab and returned to his seat.

"Did Captain Bolt ever threaten you? Or Justin?" asked Logan.

"No...but I heard tell he was being extra mean to Justin and he could make things real hard schug" she frowned then smiled at Mike. "Cepting when and where it mattered"

Goren smiled "Not a problem Justin had I take it?"

Her mouth twitched "No and y'all know what guys are like that age"

"Not sure I can remember that far back Mrs Bolt" admitted Mike.

"Sure you can" Goren gave him a nudge. "Hardly done with round one and ready for round two"

"That about sums it up schug"

"So you did have a full sexual relationship with Justin?" asked Goren.

"No point in denying it now"

"You had intercourse with him where?"

"That motel on Union...the....it's painted blue...the _West View..._that's it"

"We know you booked a room there more than once" confirmed Mike. "Your car was seen there. But no-one we spoke to remembered Justin"

"Well he didn't walk in wearing his uniform now did he?" she muttered.

"And he never had a problem?" asked Goren. "Getting aroused I mean"

"Nothing aa couldn't help him with if y'all get me"

"Oh I _get _you Mrs Bolt" said Goren quietly. "What I don't _get _is what kind of sexual relationship you were having with a gay seventeen year old"

There was a momentary silence.

"Y'all being stupid. Justin wasn't queer"

"No he wasn't" snapped Goren. "He was gay. By his own admission. We have the records of the therapy his grandfather made Justin take when he told him. We have his roommate's testimony that they talked about their shared sexuality. And that includes Justin saying he could never get an erection with a girl. Arousal in guys may be as much....as much mechanical as psychological...but there are limits for some gay men Mrs Bolt. Even with your undoubted expertise"

"You picked the wrong boy Trixie" said Logan. "Of all the kids you might have picked, you and your lover picked the wrong one to act as your go between, your smokescreen for what was really going on and who with"

"But aa..."

"Oh please" sighed Goren. "Quit the dumb ole country girl act Trixie. You knew your husband's temper. What he might do...what he did do to that Lieutenant in Georgia..._y'all_ knew we'd find out about that. At worst you put that boy at one hell of a risk. And for what?"

"Easy Bobby" shrugged Mike. "She...they did it for the money. Hoped to provoke poor old Lenny into doing something to Justin would get him locked up or institutionalised. That way Trixie gets her hands on five million"

"Now why didn't I think of that Mike? And when Lenny doesn't act what did they do? They framed him for Justin's death"

"That was a accident" yelped Mrs Bolt. "He wasn't meant to die"

Goren's chair as he stood up screeched across the floor.

"Well he damn well did Trixie. Mrs Bolt I'm arresting you..."

"I want a lawyer" she wailed as Mike cuffed her and Bobby finished the warning.

"You'll need one" Logan hissed in her ear as he handed her still gibbering to the custody sergeant at the door.

"One down, one to go" murmured Carver from the observation area.

_**To be continued...**_


	32. Chapter 32

**Friday 19****th**** June**

_**Interview Rooms 1 & 2, SVU**_

It felt very strange to Eames. To be standing in the cramped observation area between the two rooms. She still felt she _"ought"_ to be inside one of them. The one asking the questions, hearing the answers, seeking clarification or even extracting a confession. Except as more and more evidence came winging its way from the lab, that and witness testimony would be enough to convict Jesus Torres of the rape and murder of Judith Morley. Like her two palm prints on the trunk of the Porsche which probably confirmed where she was when he attacked her and the residue in a dirty closet was proving to be a match for what was found on her clothes. Where, according to Enrique, she was when he took her a drink of water at some point during the time his brother held her captive in there.

Whether the young man realised fully the significance of all that went down Saturday afternoon Eames rather doubted. Seated with a lawyer, a social worker as keen as them to see him removed from the guardianship of his brother and Tutuola, he was telling it like it was a movie he saw on TV. And Finn was very good with him. Gentle, patient and keeping things simple.

On the other side there was more of a crowd. In addition to Munch, Eames had sent in Dani Beck with Casey Novak and the public defender who, when he saw the way things were going, advised his client to _"get smart_". Luis Alvarez knew he was not going to just walk on this one. He was a witness to the arrival of that _Porsche _containing David Okinwala and a scared girl. He knew what Torres was doing to her in the back room even if Enrique thought her screams as she was violated were because she was scared or maybe saw a rat from the nest of them that lived in the body shop. Alvarez knew she was being kept prisoner and saw Torres shoot her as casually as he might have a rat.

But Alvarez was not unique in this case. Apart from Enrique's gesture with the water, no-one who came into contact with Judy Morley that day did a damn thing to help. From that venal little shit Will Saunders began the series of events to Beal who used an excuse to try and justify the disposal of her body. Though given the way it seemed Torres had shot Pete Allen just for his potential as a witness, he might have some justification on that one.

With a sigh, Eames switched off the sound and gave up any idea of apportioning blame. If you began that foolish game you would have to include Adam Morley for either being dumb enough to deal drugs or dumb enough to lose the money he was supposed to give Saunders. She'd leave that to the lawyers, the jury and a judge to deal with. Their job was almost over.

Just as she was about to leave Stabler stepped in with two things. The news Jesus Torres was out of theatre and with a cream cheese bagel for her. Eames did not like cream cheese.

"Thanks Elliot" she took a big bite.

"Real mess huh?" he commented taking a swig from a bottle of water.

Eames nodded her mouth full.

"You know" observed Stabler. "It's cases like these...I dunno...the stupidity, the meanness...the sheer pointlessness of it all. It's these make me wonder..."

Eames waited and when he didn't speak said "Makes you wonder if it's worth it? Why we bother? If it's enough to make up for the lost sleep and the ulcer"

"I didn't get one of those yet. But yeah"

"You're not alone in thinking that Elliot, feeling like that"

"I know but..."

"But other people seem to cope with it better than you?"

Stabler's head whipped round "Seems that way"

"Not better. Just different" Eames paused. "You're good at the job Elliot. Very good. Girls like Judy need people like you. We need people like you. I need you"

"But you don't need me to mess up"

"No Elliot" she softly "_You_ don't need _you_ to mess up"

She left him to hear the remainder of the interviews. She had paper to shift from her desk and no intention of this carrying forward to the weekend.

_**Interview 2, Major Case**_

Ron Carver explained the situation to the five staff summoned from _The Washington School_, including Major Harriman. Whose statement he purred politely would be taken by Captain Ross himself. Little did the Major know that Danny Ross was going to do more than that. He now had statements from both Logan and Goren about the injuries to Theo Spender as well as a formal complaint from Captain Spender about the treatment of his son. Bolt's own statement on events left it pretty clear that Harriman was well aware of the rumour circulating turned out to be false. Had, according to Bolt, more or less given him permission to _"ride Toomey's ass as hard as he liked"_ to put him off any relationship with Mrs Bolt and in doing so, singularly failed in his own duty to protect a minor from possible sexual harassment and predation by an adult.

As Wheeler and Jackson took charge of Kyle Mason the chemistry teacher, McAllister and Joe Wakefield steered Andrea Coltrane in another direction. It gave Logan, shutting the door, time for a final glance at her very nice ass. He rejoined Goren at the table. Phil Lamont seemed relaxed. At least he was until Goren opened his mouth.

"Can you explain to us why your fingerprints are all over the room Justin and Theo Spender shared?"

He looked at them for a moment and in the observation area Carver recognised that look in Lamont's eyes. It was the same one seal pups got when they realised a killer whale was patrolling in nearby waters.

"I'm the officer in charge of that room. You've been at the school enough in the last few days to know regular and surprise locker inspections are par for the course"

"We know that" shrugged Logan. "So we had another room along the hall checked. That has only a fraction of your prints and in places they might be expected"

"Your people must have nothing better to do. Very well. I admit that when I heard Justin was dead I searched his room. Since you know why Leonard killed the boy perhaps you'll understand I was making a misguided attempt to remove anything...anything might cause his family any further embarrassment"

"Did you? Find anything I mean?" asked Logan.

"No. If I had I would have told you"

"He's good isn't he?" Goren leaned towards his partner.

"Oh yes Bobby" agreed Logan. "Now you told us something, here's a piece of information for you. Justin Toomey was gay"

"Bullshit"

Goren stood up "I...um...I could get his grandfather in here...er...if you want. He'll tell you the same. Reluctantly, but it's true"

"I see" Lamont paused. "Which means I suppose it was just all rumours after all. What the hell was going on then? Why was Mrs Bolt? I mean they were seen...it makes no sense"

"Makes perfect sense" shrugged Goren as he sat down. "If she was really seeing someone else. Someone her old man with his reputation would not have hesitated to deal with. And if like my partner here you are a Julie Christie fan"

"Excuse me? Look I came here to make a formal statement. To help you prove the case against Leonard. What is all this ...this nonsense you are talking"

"A movie" said Logan "Directed by Joseph Losey. 1970. Called _"The Go-Between"._ Two people having an illicit relationship use a young boy as their messenger. To pass notes between them"

Goren shoved some paper across the table. "Could you write that down for me please? Thanks to your friend Leonard...my shoulder...can't write...yeah... _1970. Joseph Losey_"

Lamont was so stunned he complied as Goren made sure he spelled Losey correctly.

"Thanks. To be honest...Phil...I do know about the movie...won the _Palme D'Or_ or something at Cannes"

"Can we get on with this?"

"You mean all that stuff about how you realised Bolt was bullying Justin. How you feared it was because of an affair and how you warned him off?" Logan sat back in his seat. "And how you saw him going back to the gym just around the time Justin would have been finishing his laps?"

"Yes"

Goren waved his left arm casually "We'll get to that...that very public drawing attention to trouble between them...after you answer this one. If you thought a kid you did not know was gay was banging Trixie how come you were sharing her with him?"

"You took leave of your senses"

Lamont rose at the same time as Logan.

"Sit down Phil" he snapped and perhaps years of taking orders he did as he was told.

"We know you were. There are two witnesses at the _Bridgewater Hotel_ to your afternooners with her. One is the chamber maid. The walls there are very thin" Goren rustled through his file and peered. "You want me to read out some of the things she was heard yelling while you were quick marching through Dixie...I mean Trixie. Seems they were times that won't be forgotten in a hurry"

"He'll have plenty of time to think about them Bobby. Especially when Trixie is done yelling at the DA. About how it was all Phil's idea. To frame Bolt. Get him locked up or locked away while he and Mrs Bolt enjoyed the Trust Fund"

"I do not know what you are talking about. Okay...yeah...I will admit I....um...succumbed to Trixie's charms once or twice...hell you met the woman. I bet she came on to both of you. The woman is...is crazy. And if she did something...I was not part of it"

"Yes you were" said Logan quietly. "You were in the perfect position to use one of the cadets in your kiddie battalion. To pass notes between you and Trixie on the pretext of a legitimate errand. At the same time, both of you used him to set up the impression of an affair. Like Bobby said, you drew attention to Bolt seeming to single out and bully Justin. Everyone knew he was allergic but you were one of those had access to his medical records. Knew just how badly allergic he was"

"And Trixie did her part too" added Goren. "Dropping a jar of pecan puree in the store so it would be remembered she bought some. Putting the means into the Bolt household. It was her who removed Justin's essay from the pile. Her prints are all over it. Gave Bolt more reason to punish the kid despite there being witnesses to the fact Justin did finish and submit it. Another example of Bolt's irrational meanness towards the kid? Or that was how it would seem when you or maybe she, miraculously found the paper again?"

"I tell you I had nothing to do with any of it"

"Seven" said Goren. "It was all in the seven"

He took the scrap of paper Lamont had scrawled on and lined it up with two other documents.

"This is a page from Justin's math book. See how he consistently writes the glyph for seven? With a simple down stroke. You, on the other hand Phil, here in red where you make corrections, put a line across the down stroke. What is sometimes referred to as a _"Continental Europe_" glyph. To avoid confusing a seven with a one. You told me your father is Belgian and you started school there. That's how you were taught to write a seven. You do it every time. Just as you did it on this coded note. One Trixie tried to tell us that Justin wrote. One which you wrote and which she made sure was in Bolt's closet. As further proof of his supposed motive to do Justin harm"

"Stupid bitch" he muttered.

"Stupid both of you" said Logan. "Did you intend to kill Justin? Or just make it look like Bolt tried to?"

To Ron Carver's eyes the seal pup was dead in the water.

_**To be continued...**_

_**AN:**_ _The film _"The Go Between"_ is based on the book of the same name. Published in 1953 by the author L.P. Hartley (1895 – 1972) its opening line is _"The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there"


	33. Chapter 33

**Friday 19****th**** June**

_**Major Case Squad Room**_

Goren and Logan had left both Trixie Bolt and Phil Lamont taking the advice of a lawyer and discovering that there was a witness to her entering the gym block during the baseball game. But as they returned to the _Squad Room_ it was to see Harriman and the General leaving. The latter promising the former he didn't give a rats ass about his family's long association with the school, after all he had heard that morning, Harriman would be out on his butt and if that meant the whole place closing down, so be it.

Ross stood by his office door with a bemused expression.

"Told him they could probably expect a visit from _Children's Services_ too" he added.

Logan caught a frown from Goren "Not happy about that Bobby?"

"No it's just" he reached in his pocket and pulled out a pager.

"Something wrong?" asked the Captain seeing him pale slightly.

"Yes...no....I...um...it's the baby...er I need to..." he was halfway across the room and fumbling with his cell phone.

"No...my car's...I'll need it to...hello...Caro what's...yes...yes I'm taking a deep breath..okay...yeah I get it...yes I am...yes I will sweetie"

Ross smiled as Logan caught up to Bobby and took from a flustered Goren the things like evidence he needed to leave behind, found his car keys for him and handed him his jacket.

"I'll drive you both" he was offering.

"No you won't Logan" called the Captain. "There's plenty for you to do here. Bobby? It will be fine. Good luck. Now hurry up and get out of here"

Goren almost ran Ron Carver down as he left.

"Where's he going now?" puzzled the _Exec ADA._

"To become a father" replied Ross.

"Oh" beamed Carver "Though I don't envy him the next few hours"

"Me neither. I guess you got told all that stuff too. How there would never be a second and it was all your fault"

"I did"

"Speaking of fault. You sure we can get the wife and Lamont on this Ron?"

"She's offering testimony against him in exchange for a deal"

"Will she get it?"

"Doubtful. It seems certain she's the one with opportunity to contaminate the shampoo and of course there's now Bolt's testimony to seeing her sneaking into the locker room that morning. Whether they intended to kill Justin or just make it look like Bolt tried to I don't know we'll ever know for sure"

"Guess it will keep us busy tying up some loose ends. Speaking of which..."

"Now where are you going Danny?"

"I just remembered Bolt is in our cells. If he thinks he can get away with what he did to Bobby he's got another thing coming to him"

Carver watched Ross leave. Only pausing to tell Logan if he was looking for something to do there were some accident forms on his desk to keep him busy.

_**The Mortuary, Bellevue Hospital**_

Eames stood beside Bill Morley, Mrs Whiteman and their son Adam as a simple coffin was loaded into a hearse to take it to JFK.

The driver of their car began to open the doors as the hatch was closed.

"Once again we're very sorry for your loss" she said thinking once again she was glad she never kept a tally on how many times in her career she said that and what a useless phrase it was.

But then anything you said would be.

"Thank you Detective" said Mrs Whiteman stiffly as she guided a sobbing Adam to the waiting car.

"Thank you Lieutenant Eames" said her ex husband. "For coming and for catching the bastards did this to our daughter. Do you think Adam...will he need to testify?"

"A little too early to say sir. I'll...um...see what I can do...maybe it won't be necessary"

"I understand. Goodbye"

She watched the small and grim procession leave the compound. Of course they were taking Judy home. That's where her roots were, the rest of her family. The USA was a _"foreign country_" to her no matter how much they and the Brits shared in language and history and culture. The nature of any trial might well depend on the job that Stabler and Novak did in interviewing Jesus Torres. And maybe what unofficial _"influence"_ she had with the DA's office. Though Eames put that out of her mind almost immediately. It made things complicated and she would have to try to find out what was bugging Jack very soon.

She pulled her cell from her pocket and was tempted to stamp on it. Instead she checked the caller ID.

"Hello Jack"

"_Can you speak?"_

"Sure"

"_Just to let you know I got a table for eight. That give you time to shave your legs or whatever?"_

Eames smiled at that.

"Should be okay. Just make sure you are clear of the bathroom when I get back"

"_Oh I learned my lesson on that one before Al. I hear you closed the Morley case"_

"More or less"

"_Good for you and the rest of the Unit. Oh yes and something else. Ron just got back from 1PP. Looks like Caro has gone into labour"_

Eames squealed a little with girlish excitement for Bobby and Caro. Though she wasn't sure what might be the worst. Giving birth or giving birth with Goren at your side.

_**The Maternity Department, Bellevue Hospital**_

Goren had always admired women. Did not pretend for one minute he really understood them but always admired them. A part of that was at a fairly basic or animal level. As a heterosexual male, women came with all the anatomical features and accoutrements that pleased you, turned you on and if you were really lucky they made good use of them. And knew how to make best use of yours too.

He had learned at a tender age women were the stronger sex. They were the ones who _"held it together"_ so often. The ones who stuck to a job, raising kids as decent as possible and often in the absence of men. Men like his own father. Men like Dad who so often put self first when women like his Mom put others first. Even his mentally sick and frail mother did a better job when she was able. Most of any strengths he had or lessons he'd learned had come from her and he was of the view positive example was a better way for kids to learn.

Nor, even in this day and age, did women have it easy. There was still underlying prejudice, discrimination and maybe even harassment in the workplace. The _"glass ceiling" _even the smartest and best encountered. He'd seen that in the Army and in the PD. And even when it came to criminality women often did that better too. Some of the most devious, conniving, vicious and clever he'd ever interrogated were women. Men acted or often re-acted on instinct. Instantly, stupidly and making it too easy to catch them. But for slow burn planning or long awaited revenge women took the prize every time.

And the one thing he would never understand was why or how any woman would ever want or agree to something would result in what Caro was going through now. A process he knew he had at times made worse for her. His mild panics, his fussing when there was nothing to fuss about and those choice pieces of _"book learning"_ he could not always stop himself from sharing. How she stopped herself hitting him with that birthing ball when he pronounced on the anatomical details of cervix dilation he would never know. Just grit her teeth and suggested maybe he'd like _"to shut the hell up Rob"._

But at least that contraction had finally broken the waters they were almost at the stage of doing artificially to speed things up. Trouble was the pains were getting worse and for all he was trying to remember and doing and the re-assurance of Kim, he really was not sure he was up to this. Never mind what Caro could tolerate he really could not bear this. Having a fraction of an idea what it must be like and feeling so guilty. It was him suggested this baby seemed to be tearing her apart, him who wanted it, who needed it. Him with that primordial and selfish need he was never so sure was as strong in her.

"_**The Pesto Place", Broome Street, Soho**_

McCoy paused with his spoon of tiramisu halfway to his mouth. And watched Al _"play"_ with her three flavours of ice cream.

"Oh look" he growled. "Al Capone and John Dillinger just came in to eat"

"Hmm. Excuse me?"

"And where was your head Alex? Still on work? Or wondering about Bobby and Caro?"

"I'm sorry Jack. Really I am. And I do realise it's too soon for news of the baby"

"I guess that's an improvement. Last time you told me how many hours it was since she called him and the average labour for a first baby"

"Stupid the things you read and remember and it's not like with me...well not the same with a Caesarean is it?"

"No"

Jack supposed he was slightly more of an expert. Julie had been a natural delivery but his estranged son had been an elective Caesar decision by his first wife. And in those days you didn't get to go in with them.

"Want to go see your folks this weekend?" he asked as she resumed eating. "After missing the picnic I mean"

"Not really. And not because I want to rush to Bellevue either. But we will have to go get something for the baby when we find out what sort it is. Wonder if it's a boy they'll decide on a name before he starts kindergarten?"

Jack laughed. That had become almost a standing joke the way both Bobby and Caro had switched preferences for months and never seeming to arrive at the same one at the same time.

"Al?"

Eames looked up sharply. There was something in that tone worried her. It wasn't the _"Al?"_ Jack used when he was about to tell her about some boring function he'd like her to attend with him nor the apologetic one when he forgot to collect dry cleaning. Or even the one told you he was feeling horny.

"Go on Jack" she tried to keep suspicion and maybe a little fear out of her voice.

"How do you feel about me running again?"

It took her a moment to realise McCoy was not referring to the Marathon in the fall but the fact that was when the early stages of the election process would begin.

"Is that you telling me you are going to?"

"No. It's not. It's me genuinely wanting to know what you think" McCoy shoved his empty dish to one side. "If I do it will mean us seeing a lot less of each other than we sometimes do now. Last time I was probably five nights out of seven speaking somewhere to some group or other. And it won't be any different this time"

"I understand. But will you have such strong opposition this time around?"

"Possibly not. Not based on the rumour mill right now. But if I do it Al...we're a couple now...and that means..."

"Means I'll have to come and make nice to a lot of people I don't like" she muttered thinking about some of them right now she was able to avoid.

"No it doesn't. I wouldn't expect you to do that. I'm part lawyer, part politician these days for which read professional hypocrite on occasions. I wouldn't ask that of you Al"

"I'd expect to come to some though"

"As much or as little as you want my love. I'm just pointing out that for some months like it or not, fair and rational or not, we'll both be subject to the sort of comment and scrutiny I know has pissed you off before. And if you really don't want that I'd like to know"

"Though it wouldn't stop you running?"

McCoy looked at her "What could I have done to stop you going on that operation this morning? And if I could, would you still be sitting across the table from me now? Or in a month's time or six month's time?"

"Maybe not. I get it Jack. We are what we are. You live with it and I'll live with it. Whatever you decide"

"Thank you" he reached across to take her hand in his.

Somewhat irritated the waiter arrived at that moment to clear the dishes and take their order for coffee.

"Hey!" he gestured to take her hand back, reached in his other pocket and took a deep breath.

"There's something else Al. I...um...would...er..."

McCoy could have banged his head on the table with frustration. _The box was not there._ He'd brought it home. He knew he had. Had it in the same hand with his office keys and ID and a lot of loose change. And it was still with those things. In the damned nightstand drawer where he'd tipped them all as he emptied his pockets.

"What is it Jack?"

"I...um...I forgot my wallet Al" he lied glibly. "Think you could pay for dinner?"

She laughed out loud "On a cop's salary? I think we'd better offer to wash dishes the rest of the night"

_**Roark's Bar, Pearl Street**_

After interviewing Jesus Torres, Stabler had needed a drink. If he thought he'd get any sympathy for his injury even from another guy, he must come from another planet. He was denying everything in the face of a huge volume of physical evidence and testimony, only a fraction of which he and his lawyer had yet heard. Novak had come under instruction either from Carver or McCoy, to offer nothing in exchange for saving the tax payer the cost of a trial or avoiding a harrowing experience for the likes of Mrs Allen and Judy's mother and brother. Even the possibility of his own brother being subject to competency hearings and then obliged to testify did nothing to move the bastard. There was still time for him to change his mind.

There was something cathartic about chewing over events with buddies like Finn and Munch and despite what they might depict in the movies; few cops went mad in celebration when they cracked a case. A few mindless idiots maybe but Logan, Wheeler and others from _Major Case_ were no more in a mood for drunken revelry either. And not just because it was one of those occasions when they were all driving and Danny Ross was there. Any mood lightening was on the matter of Goren's baby. Those who had already lost out on the date of arrival were licking their wounds while others were holding out strong hope it would be tomorrow. The call someone made to enquire got only the bland _"expected progress" _report from the hospital. Others were laying extra bets on gender and weight.

As Logan said, with a guy Goren's build most of the smart money was going on _"over eight pounds"_ and Mike did have the grace to hand him a nice note to thank himself, Kathy and the kids for taking in that boy Theo the other night.

At around eleven he, Logan and Ross ended on the pavement together, joking who would follow who in the direction of Queens in case they forgot where they lived. None of them as they drove away saw a small compact following them down the street and then sticking with them as they all turned north.

_**To be continued...**_


	34. Chapter 34

**Saturday 20****th**** June**

_**Delivery Room 3, Bellevue Hospital**_

Caro fell back with a sound that conveyed so much. Pain, joy, relief and pleasure all rolled into one and Goren felt that vice like grip she had on his shoulder during those final pushes, relax. Felt her hand warm and damp, stroke his face briefly. How someone naked, sweating and a mixture of red with effort and white with exhaustion could look so beautiful he had no idea. Could hardly take his eyes off her until he realised her attention was elsewhere. On that alien creature between her thighs as it coughed, sneezed and began to wail. A squeaking uncertain sound at first as Kim congratulated them and held out something in their direction.

Goren saw Caro settle with a contented, exhausted smile on the pile of pillows and heard her murmur "Rob?"

He put out his hands and tried to make sense of what was being placed gently in them. Almost dropped it as the volume of the wails increased and he stared in uncomprehending horror at what he saw. All that fun to make, all those months of anticipation and planning and love and what had they got?

A big wad of bubble gum.

That's what it had to be. All pink and damp. All wrinkled like it had been well chewed. All warm and sticky. And there were even a few dark tufts of fluff on one end. Like when you dropped gum on the carpet.

Suddenly the noise stopped. As two eyes appeared and seemed to stare right at him. Into his very soul.

Then he tasted it. The salty droplet of a tear at the corner of his mouth.

"Hello there" he said softly. "I'm Daddy"

_**The Stabler Family Home, Floral Park, Queens**_

Stabler was on his own. Always the way when chores like the overdue clear up of the garage needed to be done. Suddenly everyone vanished and he was sure only one percent of the stuff in there belonged to him. If it was like last time they would all come back home declaring undying sentiment and need for the objects he'd consigned to the area set aside for _"junk"._ It would all end up back inside and in six months when Christmas lights were wanted, he'd be moving it all again and digging his car out of the snow because half the garage harboured useless rubbish.

He carried a box Kathy had helpfully labelled _"miscellaneous"_ into the kitchen to find out what it really was and get some juice to wash down the dust. As least she'd taken the baby with her meant he could get on. But just before he cut it open a series of thoughts went through his head. Knew it would turn out to be a bad mistake but could not stop himself. And did not know why he was doing it.

Stabler picked up his cell, checked through the directory and stopped it to call a number he'd had on there for years.

"_Hello? Elliot?"_

Liv Benson's voice quavered a little as she answered.

_**Logan's Apartment, Queens**_

He flung open the door expecting his neighbour Dave who had last minute tickets for the first half of a double header at Shea.

"Oh" he said finding himself looking at a young woman.

No more than twenty _(far too young)_, slim _(he liked them with a little more meat)_ and dark _(he wasn't that picky)_ she was wearing a dress in a style was rather formal. A little old fashioned maybe. Almost like something you might wear to church.

"M...Mr Logan?" she asked rather staring back at him.

"What is says on the door honey. You looking for someone?"

"Yes..yes I am. You"

"Please don't say you came to give me good news or to offer me salvation. It's too late for that"

"N..No I didn't" she smiled a little. "I should... I should introduce myself. I'm Ellie...Eleanor Garfield"

"Hello Ellie Eleanor Garfield. Pardon me for saying Miss but I don't think we..."

"Oh no. We didn't. I should explain" she reached in her purse. "My mother is Carol Garfield...Carol Tolliver as was. That's...when you knew her"

She thrust a picture into Logan's hand. It showed four people at a table. The old tables they used to have at _Roark's._ Logan knew this picture. Somewhere he had one the same himself. Taken the night almost twenty years ago when they were celebrating his acceptance into the detective branch. He and his partner and best buddy Paul. He was dead now. Heart attack just after he turned forty. Next to Paul, the girl Logan knew as Carol Tolliver. An ER nurse Paul had dated and even got engaged to. Before the stupid idiot messed it up. Fooling around with some stripper until Carol found out. The other girl was a friend of hers whose name Logan could not remember. She was set up as his date a few times. A young woman deeply attached to her virginity as he recalled.

"My my and you are Carol's daughter? How is she?"

"Fine. I have two younger brothers back home"

"Aha"

Logan knew a few months after Paul and Carol split up she went back to the Mid Westwhen her mother was diagnosed with cancer.

For a moment they looked at each other uncertain what to say or do.

"And your Dad? What does he do?" he asked to be polite and wondering what she wanted.

"He grows corn" Ellie Eleanor nodded "Small town you know? Guess you don't...only...thing is I always knew Dad wasn't my father, the...the um...biological one I mean. And when I was about twelve I asked Mom...about him and she told me"

Logan stared at her. Remembering one night about a week before Carol returned to Ohio or Illinois or Iowa. A party they were both at. And what happened. What they did somewhat drunkenly amid a pile of coats in one of the bedrooms. And the face looking back at Mike reminded him very much of someone. Not Carol in that picture. But of his own sister. He knew what Ellie Eleanor was going to say. He knew it was possible. Her Mom didn't exactly put it about.

"I think you'd better come in Eleanor" he said quietly to save her the trouble.

"Thank you" she said equally softly.

Logan shut the door behind the young woman who was quite probably his daughter, gestured her into the living room he'd straightened out that morning and wondered what the hell they were going to say to each other.

_**F.A.O Schwarz, Fifth Avenue**_

McCoy paced outside the toy store impatiently. If Al did not hurry they were going to miss the booking. Except she didn't know that and he'd relied heavily on the female _"shopping"_ gene to get them _"up town" _in the first place. And given what they had spent so far, he hoped it was going to be worth it. Was sure the bags he held contained even clothes for Bobby and Caro's kid to graduate in, there was so much. And he felt a prize idiot holding onto that balloon.

People assumed it was his name and they had trailed several places to find a store stocked one with it printed on. Though he supposed he should be more amazed they seemed to settle on the name at last. And he guessed he couldn't stay mad at Bobby forever. For calling at five freaking am to announce the arrival of their rather large bundle of joy just about an hour earlier. Was sure Al had been awake or waking up at the slightest sound half the night. And by then who won the sweepstake on eight pounds and six ounces McCoy was beyond caring about.

When Alex finally emerged she was carrying tiny little bag probably quite disproportionate to what the contents cost.

"Oh Jack you must look..."

"I will but in a minute Al"

He took her hand in one of his, the rest of the shopping bags and dragged her to the kerb.

"What?"

"Can't you quit asking questions for just one day Detective" he growled hauling her round the back of a cab held up in traffic and then getting hooted at by another as they made it over _Fifth Avenue_. Jaywalking but still in one piece.

Crossing _Grand Army Plaza_, Al expressed minor disappointment they did not head into the swanky hotel but as he hurried her over _Central Park South_ she worked it out.

"We're going for a carriage ride?"

"Yes"

McCoy let go and went along the line to find the one he'd booked. He gestured to Al to catch up to him at one pulled by a large grey horse.

"Did you never do this?" she asked as he got in and held out his hand for her trying to be the gentleman.

"Of course I did. I expect you did but...whoa!"

The carriage set off suddenly sending them both tumbling onto the worn black leather upholstery.

"But we never did it together" Alex smiled.

"No" he put his arm round her shoulders then bent his head to kiss her.

"Romantic" she said softly sucking his tongue back in a little and briefly.

"I have my moments Al"

"When on earth did you book this Jack? A Saturday in summer as well"

"Don't ask" he muttered in response.

Alex didn't ask and perhaps as well. Sometimes the title came in handy and if he had another run at the District Attorney's job it would not be to pull strings or maybe reins to get a carriage ride.

They kissed again as they turned under the shade of the trees onto one of the tracks set aside for the carriages.

"You want the commentary?" asked the driver.

"No thanks" replied McCoy

He took his fate in both hands or rather one as he managed to extricate the box from the pocket of his jeans.

"Alex?"

"Pheew! What's that smell?"

McCoy suddenly smelled it too. A horsey smell mixed liberally with a noxious gas.

"Sorry about that" called the driver "Changed to a new feed and it doesn't seem to be agreeing with Bonney's digestion"

Jack wondered what else could go wrong when Alex collapsed into helpless giggles as the horse farted again and then covered her mouth and nose. His own eyes felt a little watery and he wondered if the guy was feeding his mare some kind of bio weapon material or dangerous nerve gas. And watching Al laugh...wondered why on earth he waited so long to do this.

"I love you Alex" he said as her face emerged.

"I love you Jack. A lot"

"Enough for this?" he asked softly taking her hand and placing the diamond ring in her palm. "Alex? Marry me? Please"

_**To be concluded...**_


	35. Postscript

_**Postscript**_

**Saturday 20****th**** June**

_**Room 617, Maternity Department, Bellevue Hospital**_

Caro woke from a sleep with an exhausted contentment over her whole body. Better than last time when she could have sworn even her hair ached and her still red toenails were sore. She had concluded many hours earlier one part of her was really only designed for one way traffic. And that those jokes about melons were not funny.

She shifted slightly and then seeing the sight that greeted her, said nothing. Lay still and pretended to be asleep. He really was helpless to resist as he leaned over the crib to pick up his son. Very, very carefully but now more confident than the other times, as she watched Rob take him to the window. Couldn't really hear what he was telling him softly about. Sounded like something about the sun and the solar system.

She doubted the little guy was even awake. Rob couldn't see it of course. Men never could. But that fruit did not fall too far from the tree. Above average length and weight for a baby boy _(and didn't she know it at times)_ Caro almost hoped he didn't turn out to have those same almost fearful smarts and sensitivity as his Daddy. It did not make life simple at times though she guessed things would be easier than they had been on Rob as a kid.

Had _"his"_ nose. And Rob's ears too. Features he'd once said himself were only okay because he never had to look at them. And it was amusing to watch the struggle he was having within himself. To divide his attention between her and any need she might have and their son. Fearful that he was so besotted and needing to bond with the baby, he was ignoring or neglecting her. Give it a few days and he would realise. That he had enough love to go round.

The astronomy lesson over for now he just stared at their son. She knew that beneath the wonder and maybe a little well hidden pride, there was remaining doubt. That Rob still feared he would not be a _"good father"_ because he wasn't sure what one was supposed to be like. He'd work it out. He usually did and the best teacher he could have was in his arms.

**THE END**


End file.
